We've been vying for Lupita Nyong'o to win this Oscar for a long time. Not only did her performance as literally tortured slave Patsey in* 12 Years A Slave* make us weep, but she handles fame (especially all those questions about where her name comes from), in such a down-to-earth, normal way, we can't help but love her. Oh, and those dresses. And those arms. And that laugh. There's really nothing not to love about her.
Um, where were we? Oh yes, the Oscars. Lupita won in the Best Supporting Actress category, and her speech was just wonderful. Acknowledging how difficult it is to be happy about film that is so harrowing, she cried as she explained in words much better than our own: 'It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else's.
'So I want to salute the spirit of Patsey, for her guidance. And for Solomon's story and your own.*'
Thanking her director, she continued: 'Steve McQueen, you charge everything you fashion with the breath of your own spirit.' She said, her voice cracking as she began to tear up: 'Thank you so much for putting me in this position, this has been the joy of my life.'
(It's just at this point you can see Brad Pitt, who executive produced in the film and appears in it as basically the biggest hero ever, wiping away a tear. Don't believe us? Check out the video).
Though Jennifer Lawrence was in the running to win this award for her turn as a semi-alcoholic New Jersey housewife in American Hustle - her win at the BAFTAs perhaps encouraging this - she would have been the first person in 20 years to win a consecutive award. And she was wearing red. Did you know that no-one has ever won an Oscar while wearing red?
Oh, and just FYI, on her way up to the stage to collect her award, Lupita got a hug from Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and, um, Liza Minelli. And Jennifer Lawrence cheered and whooped for her; so much for pitting actresses against each other.
*The Solomon she's talking about here is Solomon Northup, whose memoirs provide the basis of 12 Years A Slave.
Picture: Getty
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.