Lupita Nyong’o Calls Press Junkets A “Torture Technique”

Her 12 Years a Slave part was the very first feature film role that Lupita Nyong’o landed, and she won an Oscar for it. The actress had just graduated from the Yale School of Drama and now admits she was totally unprepared for overnight fame.

“We were prepared to be extras and little guest stars on TV shows before we would have our chance at any substantial role in the thing that we love to do,” Nyong’o tells Glamour magazine of school. “But it did not at all prepare us for instant success. And that is an overwhelming experience.”

More from Deadline

• Teri Hayden Dies: Irish Talent Agent, Who Launched Gabriel Byrne and Brendan Gleeson's Onscreen Careers, Was 75

• 'All American' Says Goodbye To Kamar De Los Reyes' Coach Montes

• Jeremy Renner Opens Up About His Refusal To Return To 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout'

Most newly-famous actors complain about paparazzi or intrusive gossip. But when asked for specifics Nyong’o seems more annoyed by another right of passage: “interviews.”

Specifically, Nyong’o calls press junkets a “torture technique.” She describes their tedium thusly: “Different people are being ferried in” to ask the exact same questions. “You have to give each one of them attention, focus, and an articulate answer that you just gave to the person before. That’s irritating.”

Best of Deadline

• Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2024: Photo Gallery & Obituaries

• 'Knives Out 3': Everything We Know About The Second Rian Johnson Sequel

• 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.