Lupita Nyong’o Says She Was “Teased” For Being “Dark-Skinned”; Reflects On How Jared Leto Dating Rumors Plagued Friendship
In the Glamour interview, Lupita Nyong'o touched on Jared Leto's dating rumors that plagued their friendship and recalled being teased for her dark skin as a teen.
Lupita Nyong’o Opens Up About Insecurities And Adversities(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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In her new interview with Glamour, Lupita Nyong’o opened up about insecurities, adversities, love, and personal achievements. The magazine interviewed the 41-year-old Black Panther actress as the June 2024 global cover star. During the interview, Lupita Nyong’o touched on Jared Leto’s dating rumors that plagued their friendship. She also recalled being teased for her dark skin as a teen.
The actress, born in Mexico, grew up in Kenya, and attended college in Massachusetts, revealed that some of her friends’ parents considered Nyong’o a “bad influence” due to her eccentricities as a teen.
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Lupita Nyong’o, who confessed she was “a little eccentric” as a teen, revealed she refused to conform to the norm and instead chose to dye her hair green and make her own clothing that made her stand out in the crowd. However, the attention was not all good, as the actress noted that her unique style made it difficult for her to fit in as a child.
Lupita Nyong’o Says She Didn’t Feel Confident As A Teen
During the Glamour interview, when asked if she felt confident during that time, the actress confessed, “No, I was not,”
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Lupita Nuyong’o revealed she was “teased a lot for being dark-skinned.” She continued, “I went to an all-girls school for elementary school, and then I switched to coed school when I was 12. So, just when I was coming into myself and becoming aware of my sexuality, I was being teased a lot by boys for being dark. So I definitely wasn’t confident, but how I dealt with that was, I think, I just developed my character to compensate.”
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Lupita Nyong’o Reflects on Jared Leto’s Dating Rumors
The Black Panther actress shared how the Jared Leto rumors impacted their friendship. In 2014, the duo who won the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress struck up a friendship. Leto won an Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, and Nyong’o won the award for 12 Years a Slave.
Shortly after, their friendship turned into tabloid fodder, with many speculating they were dating each other. In a recent Glamor interview, Lupita Nyong’o revealed that initially, she paid no attention to the rumors. “I paid no attention. I actually deafened my ears to all the discourse about the awards because I was going through so many firsts. The red carpet was new; everything was new to me.”
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However, as the chatter grew louder, Nyong’o noted, “It was drawing attention away from the work. I didn’t want that sort of attention. I didn’t want all that chatter to deter from the joy I was having becoming his friend.”
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Lupita Nyong’o revealed that despite the speculation, she is still friends with the actor.
