We screamed and cheered when history was made at the 86th Annual Academy Awards as actress Lupita Nyong’o took home the best supporting actress trophy for her role as Patsy in 12 Years a Slave. Competition was tight in the category, up against Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle, Julia Roberts in August: Osage County, Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine, and June Squibb in Nebraska. But after months of campaigning, hitting every red carpet, picking up SAG Awards, Critics Choice, BAFTA’s, Spirits, magazine covers, and nearly every other trophy this season, Lupita triumphed.
Dressed like an angel in a long, flowing, pillow-fluffy, light blue Prada dress, her slim white headband in the hair was like a halo, sitting atop tears and smiles of humble appreciation for the experience. Lupita won 74 years after, almost to the day, Hattie McDaniel won best supporting actress for Gone with the Wind in 1940, becoming the first black to win an Academy Award. She too wore blue. And now, like Hattie, Lupita joins the everlasting ranks of greatness. And we are so happy the Oscars got it right.