Lupita Nyong'o 'Elle UK' Cover: Actress Reveals She Was Victim Of Racism Growing Up In Mexico

Lupita Nyong'o has won over 20 awards, including a Golden Globe and Oscars for Best Supporting Actress in "12 Years a Slave." Lupita Nyong'o has been in many films, including the upcoming "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Lupita Nyong'o's career has been booming since it embarked in early 2000. And not once did Lupita Nyong'o doubt herself, even though she's been told that she was too dark for Hollywood. "I get my mind fixed on something and I find a way to do it," the actress told Elle UK.

In a recent interview with the magazine, where she flawlessly nabs the cover of its January issue, the 32-year-old Hollywood star revealed some of the obstacles she faced during her road to success. She talked about diversity in the industry, achieving fame and even the insecurities she had at a younger age.

Nyong'o, who was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents and identifies herself as "Mexican-Kenyan," opened up about racism growing up in Mexico. "‘[Living in Mexico as a child] people would stop and take pictures of us just because we were black," she told Elle UK. "And it was a time during that tricky adolescent phase when you’re coming into yourself and you’re trying to pave your own way but you’re insecure about where you lie. It devastated me," she added.

However, she never let her insecurities get in the way of her dreams. In fact, her new role as Maz Kanata, a pirate in the new "Star Wars" flick out December 14, can serve as another stepping stone in her trajectory. "The opportunity to play a CGI character for me was the opportunity to not be limited by my physical circumstances," she said. "I could experience being bigger or smaller, something totally different to who I am. And of course it’s in a galaxy far, far away."