Lupita Nyong’o has been named People's Most Beautiful Person of 2014, but admits to the magazine that she didn’t always believe she was physically beautiful in the traditional sense.
‘Light skin and long, flowing, straight hair – subconsciously you start to appreciate those things more than what you possess,’ she said, adding that it was thanks to her mother that she finally started to believe she was pretty, ‘She always said I was beautiful, and I finally believed her at some point.’
She revealed she’s excited and flattered to be on the cover of the famous annual issue, an honor that has previously been given to the likes of Beyoncé, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Drew Barrymore. ‘It was exciting and just a major, major compliment,' she shared. 'I was happy for all the girls who would see me on it and feel a little more seen.'
However, Lupita believes beauty is more of a state of mind than a physical attribute saying, ‘Happiness is the most important thing.’
The first person ever to grace the Most Beautiful cover was Michelle Pfeiffer in 1990. Last year’s cover went to Gwyneth Paltrow.
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.