Five Fun Facts About Lupita Nyong'o

5. Among her favorite TV shows are Scandal and Orange Is the New Black.

4. As a young girl was made fun of for her skin tone and therefore wished that her dark-hued complexion would become lighter. "I got teased and taunted about my skin," she told the crowd while being honored for best breakout performance at Essence magazine's recent Black Women in Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills. "My one prayer to God was that I would wake up lighter skinned."

3. Her father, Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, serves as a member of Kenya's Senate, the country's upper house of parliament.

2. Snagged her breakout role in 12 Years a Slave shortly before graduating from Yale School of Drama with an MFA degree.

1. Born March 1, 1983 in Mexico City to Kenyan parents -- she was raised in Kenya and educated in the United States.

She's been taking red carpets by storm during the awards season and captured the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress last night for her gripping portrayal of Patsey in the historical drama 12 Years a Slave. Here are five things you probably don't know about Lupita Nyong'o.