Talk:Lupita Nyong'o

Mexican-Kenyan Origins
this is strange, and the facts around it should be stated more clearly,

she lived in Mexico as a newborn, as a child of kenyan parents, less than a year, when she was 16, she went to Mexico to study Spanish for 7 month, the rest of her life, until ..., she lived in Kenya

How could anyone with this biographical background come to call himself Mexican-Kenyan?

What is the legal context?


 * How is her citizenship viewed from Mexican, Kenyan law?
 * Did she ever, does she have a Mexican passport, is she entitled to Mexican citizenship?
 * Is she considered a Mexican citizen by Mexican law?

Does she declare herself Mexican-Kenyan to have a safe citizenship-alternative?

Quessler (talk) 00:02, 21 March 2015 (UTC)

From the English source given as a citation:
 * "I've seen the quarrels over my nationality, but I'm Kenyan and Mexican at the same time. So again, I am Mexican-Kenyan and I am fascinated by carne asada tacos."

From the original Spanish source:
 * “He visto que se pelean mi nacionalidad, pero yo soy keniana y mexicana al mismo tiempo, por eso insisto, soy mexicana-keniana y me fascinan los tacos de carne asada.”

Mexico is an unconditional jus soli country; she became a national of Mexico at birth and automatically a citizen at age 18. Under Mexican nationality law, the government will always (as long as she doesn't commit an act of treason) consider her to be a Mexican national since Mexican-born individuals can not lose their nationality. Through jus sanguinis, she is a citizen of Kenya. Both Kenya and Mexico allow multiple citizenship. Xochiztli (talk) 07:05, 9 May 2015 (UTC)

I have difficulty understanding why she must referred to as a "Mexican-Kenyan". Just because she "identifies" as it, does not mean that she is. People can identify however they want to and it does not mean they are right. A person can identify as an "adult" even though he/she is a teenager.

I understand that she was born in Mexico and has Mexican citizenship but many people who are born in foreign countries gain citizenships from there, even if they weren't raised there.

She was raised in Kenya from a very young age (less than a year old) and comes from a Kenyan family but just happened to be born in Mexico. Why is she considered a "Mexican-Kenyan". Is "Mexican-born Kenyan" not correct? How is it not correct?

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born and raised in Austria, is an Austrian citizen, but moved to the States in his early is twenties. He had his career start in the States and is therefore considered an "Austrian-born American". How is Lupita Nyong'o more Mexican than Arnold Schwarzenegger is Austrian? Lupita Nyong'o lived in Mexico for a very short period of time and she did not begin her career there, nor did she even attend college there. She lived a lot longer in the States than in Mexico. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Doubletoasted01 (talk • contribs) 17:49, 10 May 2015 (UTC)
 * The matter was explained clearly above. She is a Mexican-Kenyan with dual citizenship because she was born in Mexico and the Mexican Constitution defines anyone born there as a Mexican citizen. There is no requirement that someone go to college there or start their career there. The're is no minimum residency time requirement. You are entitled to your own opinion but you are not entitled to add your unreferenced opinion to the article contrary to what the reliable sources and the Mexican Constitution say. Please drop the matter and move on. Cullen328  Let's discuss it  19:18, 10 May 2015 (UTC)

However, there are many countries in which a person who is born there is automatically a citizen of the country. There have been various celebrities who were born in countries different from the ones they were raised in. Yet they are simply considered "COUNTRY OF BIRTH-born COUNTRY WHERE RAISED". For example, "Italian-born American". Actually, in many cases, it does not even mention the country where they were born. How is this any different for Lupita Nyong'o? Referring to her as Mexican is very misleading. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Doubletoasted01 (talk • contribs) 20:18, 10 May 2015 (UTC)


 * I'm glad you have decided to discuss, but I honestly don't understand why the disconnect. The actress was asked what she identified as and she clearly stated 'Mexican-Kenyan', and she is 100% legally entitled to identify as Mexican. Neither you nor I, nor anyone else, can tell her what she believes she is or isn't (especially when she has the backing of sovereign states). We are here to tell the facts and the fact is she is Mexican. If one day she becomes a naturalized American citizen and she starts to identify as American, then the article should be changed accordingly. Again, she is Mexican not only legally, but also through self-identification. All of this is a non-issue and I would very much like it to stop. Xochiztli (talk) 20:37, 10 May 2015 (UTC)


 * "All of this is a non-issue and I would very much like it to stop. Xochiztli (talk) 20:37, 10 May 2015 (UTC)"
 * You're not "glad" at all! Well, I guess you're the queen, and we must all bow down to you. But guess what, Your Royal Highness? Obviously, it is an issue, and it's not going to stop being one, just because or your royal edict. Aren't we entitled?! 2604:2000:1580:62DA:1920:48F:A553:49A1 (talk) 18:45, 19 February 2019 (UTC)

Get mental help, sockpuppet. Seriously Kay girl 97 (talk) 04:19, 13 March 2019 (UTC)

I don't think the problem here is her nationality and identification but the fact that there are people out there hanging over petty issues.There are far more relevant things that need your attention.She chose to identify herself as a Mexican and that shouldn't bother you or anyone else.You seriously need help,attention seeker Queen mash (talk) 04:52, 10 November 2019 (UTC)

Revisiting nationality in the lede
In what way is her Mexican citizenship a noteworthy part of her notability. Please see MOS:CONTEXTBIO – she was born in Mexico, but was raised in Africa from age 1, and has done no notable works in Mexico, or as a "Mexican". The lede already notes that she was born in Mexico (rightly or wrongly) – but to say she is "a Kenyan and Mexican actress" is straight-up inaccurate and misleading. The lead should simply state that she is "a Kenyan actress", while leaving the "born in Mexico" part. --IJBall (contribs • talk) 00:53, 11 September 2022 (UTC)

Just move on, she's Mexican and she ever be Mexican

No matter what the people says, she was born in Mexico and she consider herself as Kenyan-Mexican, so what's the big deal??

There's a lot of American-born artists who just born in the U.S. but with foreign parents like Anya Taylor-Joy, Ana Brenda Contreras, Mackenyu, Emma Horvath, Cosmo Jarvis, Arty Froushan, Tom Long and more.

I hope you do the same mess with them too, not just with a Mexican actress!

And i am very sure that if she were born in another country like England or the U.S. you were not doing the mess you are doing right now, ohhh but like she born in a country you consider "lower" that's why you do all this mess, easily you will considering her Kenyan-American. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:248:4F80:24F0:7D33:5736:B829:2D97 (talk) 03:35, 10 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Hi, shall we omit Nyong’o’s nationality in the first sentence? I’m well aware of the fact that she identifies as “Mexican-Kenyan”. However, I don’t find being a Mexican citizen that important to her notability either. Thedarkknightli (talk) 20:24, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
 * There is no need for a person's nationality to be important to their notability for it to be included in the lead sentence. Nationality is basic biographical information that is routinely included in lead sentences of Wikipedia biographies, along with date of birth. Cullen328 (talk) 20:33, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Well, MOS:CONTEXTBIO says, "In controversial or unclear cases, nationality is sometimes omitted." And there're a lot of BLPs in which nationalities are excluded from the first sentences (Elon Musk, Russell Crowe, Paulina Porizkova, Eileen Gu, etc). Anyway, Nyong'o's nationality is a contentious issue. Thedarkknightli (talk) 21:16, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
 * The problem with that argument is that her dual nationality is uncontested, either by Nyong'o herself, or by reliable sources knowledgeable with Mexican citizenship law. Her dual nationality is neither controversial nor unclear. Who says that it is "contentious", other than a handful of anonymous people on the internet? Cullen328 (talk) 01:46, 26 April 2024 (UTC)
 * OK, sorry for that sloppy comment. Let's call her either "Kenyan" (as what we've done in Anna Paquin, Morena Baccarin, Katie Melua, Nina Dobrev, etc.) or "Kenyan and Mexican" (as the MOS says, "In cases of public or relevant dual citizenship, or a career that spans a subject's emigration, the use of the word and reduces ambiguity."). Thedarkknightli (talk) 16:21, 30 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Not sure why you, @Georgia Bird. Thedarkknightli (talk) 19:28, 11 June 2024 (UTC)
 * She is the first Mexican actress to win an Oscar, just as she is the first Kenyan actress to win an Oscar. Both are notable parts of her identity. She’s not someone who just so happens to be a dual citizen like Scarlett Johansson. Trillfendi (talk) 19:46, 11 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Hi @Trillfendi, thanks for your timely reply! Well, I've actually discovered these reliable sources, which have called her "Kenyan" rather than "Kenyan-Mexican": CNN, AFP, Quartz, The Times, Forbes Africa, Africanews, Marca, BBC News, TRT Africa and The Africa Report. And I'd like to start an RfC if you guys don't mind. Thedarkknightli (talk) 20:21, 21 June 2024 (UTC)

Age of return to Kenya confusion.
First reads 3 yrs old, later has it at less than 1 yr old. Warren Schoolhouse (talk) 03:05, 14 March 2023 (UTC)

Could we change of picture?
New photos of Lupita attending the Red Carpet of Berlinale are available on Commons. The actual picture of her is from 2019. An example: 2806:2F0:62A0:FBDC:2558:ECDD:8:7A4C (talk) 21:55, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

She does not live in Brooklyn anymore
But rather in LA as seen on Kimmel.. MakeItSo84 (talk) 03:03, 16 June 2024 (UTC)

Personal Life Edit - Agnostic
The current wikipedia page claims that she is agnostic. It is sourced by a YouTube video in which around the 4 minute mark, Lupita responds to whether she believes in aliens with the eventual response of, "I am agnostic." This sentence on her page should either be removed or clarified. When one reads she is agnostic, it is assumed that it is in regard to her belief in God, not her belief in aliens. 2601:47:4981:A00:551F:D735:A68E:E16A (talk) 02:25, 12 July 2024 (UTC)