AfricaIs aCountry

How to say Lupita Nyong’o

Africa Is a Country Podcast
African Five-a-Side Podcast

How to say Lupita Nyong’o

By
Zachary Rosen

Please do your research, stretch your tongue, and practice saying Lupita's name. The Kenyan actress, born in Mexico, plans be around at the top for a while.

Lupita Nyong'o in '12 Years a Slave." (Still from the film.)

Everyone seems to be obsessed with the stunning Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o. And for good reason. Her heart-wrenching performance in the film “12 Years a Slave” has won her critical acclaim, while her humility and beauty have won countless hearts. She’s been on most major talk shows and is lighting up every magazine cover possible. Yet, for all the attention, many can’t say her name correctly. Quite a few don’t even seem to care enough to try. With the Oscars just weeks away, please do your research, stretch your tongue, and practice saying Lupita’s name. After all the butchering of her name, Lupita posted a video on Instagram of herself to guide you with the pronunciation, even saying it in an American accent. Look out for that soft “g.”

Now that you’ve heard it directly from Lupita’s mouth and mastered it let’s see if any celebrities and hosts did their homework before saying her name. Lupita tends to let poor pronunciation slide kindly (she’s trying not to embarrass her host), but you can tell who gets it and who doesn’t.

Craig Ferguson, who hosts a talk show on CBS long after most people have gone to bed, messed up Lupita’s name twice when she came on as a guest before asking if the name is African. Then he admits he’s never been to Kenya.

On Jimmy Kimmel’s show (for those who don’t live in the US, it’s another late-night show), Jimmy repeatedly mishandles her name and seems not to care, even after she tells him how to say it.

The actor Matt Damon (remember when he saved South Africa in “Invictus”) gets it right when announcing Lupita’s win at the 2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Jonah Hill’s corruption of her last name at the Critic’s Choice Awards is so egregious it’s impressive.

Queen Latifah is so enthusiastic about Lupita’s visit that she taints the name with a hard “g.”

On ABC’s The View, Sherri Shepherd gets rough with “Nyong’o” and fellow cast member Chiwetel Ejiofor’s name.

At least it is not as bad as when Matthew McConaughey either forgot Ejiofor’s and Idris Elba’s last names or how to say it.

Finally, Jimmy Fallon admits to Lupita that her name can be tricky. She nods in agreement and tries to mask her fatigue before playing along and saying it again for Jimmy to hear. Jimmy gives it another try, and surprisingly, he nails it. From Lupita’s shocked reaction, you can tell that doesn’t happen very often.

 

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