Lupita Nyong’o on ‘Star Wars’ Character, ‘Eclipsed’ on Broadway
Lupita Nyong'o is giving some insight into her "Star Wars" character.
— -- Actress Lupita Nyong'o’s role in the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has been kept under wraps, but the actress gave some insight into her character in an interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts.
Nyong’o hasn’t seen the film, but she has seen the clips that have been released to the public. Asked what it was like to be so secretive about the highly-anticipated movie, Nyong’o replied, laughing: “Easy. Really easy. You just don’t say anything.”
The Academy Award-winning actress confirmed that her character, Maz, was a pirate, but when Roberts asked whether Maz's eyes held supernatural powers, Nyong’o replied: “I’ll say the eyes are important.”
Nyong’o grew up watching “Star Wars.”
“We only had two channels in Kenya when I was growing up, so everyone watched ‘Star Wars.’ I didn't-- really didn't know there were people who didn't know about ‘Star Wars,’” she said.
Nyong’o explained that she was particularly interested in doing the film because of its use of motion capture – the technique that allows filmmakers to record an actor’s movements and enhance them with computer generated special effects.
“I'd watched people like Andy Serkis do it,” she said, referring to the actor who portrayed the creature, Gollum, in the blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” movie franchise. “To me, it was about an opportunity to do something that wasn't limited by my body ... so, it's an opportunity to play in a different playing field. Because you get to be a totally different thing.”
Nyong’o said she would “get covered in dots” every day and had spotlights on her everywhere she went.
“It was a very collaborative process. And Maz -- when I signed on to play Maz, she was still evolving. And I was excited about the opportunity to be a part of that evolution which was interesting and rewarding,” she said.
The actress she was interested in having a diverse career and learning new things.
“I think that's when I'm most engaged with what I'm doing,” she said.
Nyong’o appeared in the Off-Broadway production, “Eclipsed,” which is coming to Broadway in February.
The production focuses on Liberian women at wartime. It was written by Danai Gurira, the actress who plays Michonne on the hit TV series “The Walking Dead.”
“And it's funny. And it's intense. And it's ... a really exciting African story,” she said.
"The Force Awakens" was produced by Lucasfilm, a division of Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
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