Lupita Nyong’o to lead 2024 Berlin Film Festival

Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, known for her roles in “Black Panther” and “12 Years A Slave”, will lead the jury of next year’s Berlin Film Festival, organisers announced on Monday.

The Mexican-Kenyan actress shot to fame after her Oscar-winning performance as brutalised slave Patsy in Steve McQueen’s historical drama “12 Years A Slave”, often selecting roles that explore the African diaspora and themes of race.

More recently, she played female lead Nakia in “Black Panther” (2018), Marvel Studios’ first Black-led superhero film, and in its 2022 sequel. She also starred in Jordan Peele’s 2019 psychological horror “Us”.

Nyong’o has also appeared on stage and television. She is currently developing a series based on Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah”.

The jury of the Berlinale, as the German capital’s annual film festival is known, picks the winners of the Golden and Silver Bears, which alongside prizes in Cannes and Venice are among the most coveted awards on the international film festival circuit.

“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences, and consistency to one idea,” Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said in a statement.

Lupita Nyong’o adjusting to new reality after Selema Masekela breakup

Lupita Nyong’o is slowly adjusting to her “new reality” following her split from Selema Masekela. In a lengthy Instagram post dedicated to her close friend Palmer Hefferan, the “Black Panther” actress shared how her pal supported her through her “heartbreak.”

“Recently, when my life was turned upside-down from heartbreak, Palmer flew in swiftly to be by my side and help me through the hardest days as I adjusted to my new reality,” she captioned a carousel of pics of them together Thursday.

“She made me delicious meals, she found me therapeutic activities to get my mind off things, she cried with me and made me laugh until I cried a more joyful kind of tear.”

Nyong’o, 40, said she “will never” be able to pay Hefferan back for the “kindness she has shown me,” adding that she has “every intention to try.”

The heartfelt post comes more than two weeks after the “Us” star revealed that she and Masekela, 52, had called it quits.

“At this moment, I must share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust,” she captioned an Instagram post at the time. Nyong’o added that she had been in a “season of heartbreak” due to the “deception” she faced from her partner.

“I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, ‘Whatever, my life is better this way,’” she added.

“But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass.”

The Oscar winner concluded her lengthy post with the hashtag: “#Breakup.”

Nyong’o went public with her relationship with the sports commentator in December 2022, writing at the time that they “just click.”

Fans began speculating about the “12 Years a Slave” star’s relationship status after they noticed that she quietly deleted pictures of Masekela from her social media. She was also spotted at a concert with Joshua Jackson, who is currently going through a divorce with his estranged wife, Jodie Turner-Smith.

It ended in tears: Actress Lupita Nyong’o and boyfriend break up

It has ended in tears for well-known Mexican-Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong’o and her boyfriend, Selema Masekela as they have broken up.

The Black Panther star announced their split in a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday.

“I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, ‘Whatever, my life is better this way’. But I am reminded the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting this too shall pass.”

She opened up about why she decided to reveal the news publicly.

“I share this to keep it , and hoping the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it.”

Lupita went public with their romance, saying: “We just click.”

The pair didn’t share details of when they linked up or when they started dating, but Elle reported Selema was vocal about his crush on the actress.

“Hypothetically speaking of course, let’s say you’re seated behind Lupita Nyong’o on an airplane, what would be your opening line?” he tweeted.

“Anyone comes up with a good opener for me with Lupita Nyong’o, send em. Cause I’m really sittin’ right behind her on this flight. #stumped.”

The multi-award-winning actress penned a sweet message to him as he celebrated his 52nd birthday.

“And then the universe saw it fit to bring this sunshine human into my orbit, and this day marks his introduction to life,” she wrote in a video montage of Selema dancing on different occasions.

“Every day is full of #goodenergy and reasons to dance with @selema as my favourite playmate. Happy birthday, mi amor.”

Selema has not yet publicly addressed the breakup on social media.

Lupita Nyong’o Wants Idris Elba in Black Panther 3

Lupita Nyong’o is already looking ahead at a third Black Panther movie. And should Black Panther: Wakanda Forever get a follow-up film, the Oscar winner knows exactly who should join the star-studded cast—which already includes Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett and Danai Gurira.

As Lupita exclusively told Francesca Amiker on the Nov. 14 episode of E! News the one person she had in mind: “Idris Elba.” As for why she picked the Hollywood hunk? “Why not?” she added, “Idris should be in everything.”

The Luther star is no stranger to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), however, appearing in several films across the franchise as Thor’s (Chris Hemsworth) friend and protector of the Bifröst, Heimdall, most recently respiring the role for a post-credits cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Should Idris make the jump from Valhalla to Wakanda, he wouldn’t be the first person to appear as two different characters in the MCU. Before she starred as Sersi in Eternals, Gemma Chan made her MCU debut as the Captain Marvel villain Minerva. Michelle Yeoh also made a brief appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 before appearing as Ying Nan in Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
But ahead of a potential third Black Panther movie, the Wakanda Forever cast is reflecting on their journey making the sequel and sharing how it pays tribute to the franchise’s late star Chadwick Boseman.

“One of the things that was very, very nourishing to me as we shot this film was keeping his image and his memory so close at all times,” Danai, who plays Okoye, told E! News at the Los Angeles premiere Oct. 26, “and knowing how he functioned in a space, how he was a creator and was all about the generosity towards others, and also just relentless pursuit of excellence and just really loving on each other

Angela—who plays Chadwick’s onscreen mother, Queen Ramonda—also shared what it was like dealing with their grief on set, saying, “Losing your son, losing your king, and it was just such reverence that we have in general, but of course, even more so without him.”

She continued, “We saw the measure of himself that he gave on a daily basis, on a moment to basis, with each and every person and we were just trying to emulate that.”

Catch new episodes of E! News Mondays through Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. only on E!. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now.