Oscars flashback: 5 reasons why Lupita Nyong’o won for ’12 Years a Slave’ despite limited screen time

“If you see something, say nothing.”

Those are some words of advice displayed on movie posters for “A Quiet Place: Day One.” The apocalyptic horror film has impressed audiences and critics like, and its worldwide box office haul is around $200 million and counting. The movie is clearly making some noise.

And much of that noise comes from the luminous Lupita Nyong’o, who continues to show remarkable range and exceptional skill. As I watched “A Quiet Place: Day One,” I couldn’t help but think back to her breakout role in 2013’s Best Picture, “12 Years a Slave.” She portrayed Patsey, an adept cotton-picking slave regularly abused at the hands of sadistic plantation owner Edwin Epps (Best Supporting Actor nominee Michael Fassbender). Nyong’o’s performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, defeating Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine,” Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle,” Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County” and June Squibb in “Nebraska.”

It was a most competitive race, and Nyong’o was never quite considered a sure thing. So how did she pull off her Oscar victory? Here are five reasons why.

1. She had the most challenging role.
Nyong’o was cast as a slave in a 19th century American period picture. That’s not the type of part for which an actor can simply review a script and then show up to read the lines. Nyong’o had to do serious research and undergo major physical and mental preparation before even beginning the project. There was also a a very specific speaking style that the actress had to acquire to be convincing as the character. And in the end, her efforts paid off. Nyong’o completely disappeared into Patsey. She was nothing short of a revelation. Meanwhile, none of her four rivals had to stretch themselves quite like Nyong’o did. Hawkins was the working-class sister of a troubled former New York socialite (Best Actress Cate Blanchett). Lawrence was the unstable wife of a 1970s’ con artist (Best Actor nominee Christian Bale). Roberts was the unhappy daughter of a surly Oklahoma matriarch (Best Actress nominee Meryl Streep). And Squibb was the feisty and foul-mouthed wife of a Montana man determined to collect a sweepstakes prize (Best Actor nominee Bruce Dern). To be clear, all four were excellent. It’s just that Nyong’o had the material most worthy of the Oscar sweepstakes prize.

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2. She had the killer scenes.
Nyong’o’s screen time in “12 Years a Slave” is somewhat limited at only 22 minutes and 30 seconds. I recall having a conversation with a top awards pundit in January 2014, just ahead of the Golden Globes. “Which one was Lupita?” they asked as we discussed her nomination for “12 Years a Slave.” Another awards guru promptly provided them with a most detailed summary. And that description included two of Nyong’o’s most memorable moments. There was the scene where Patsey demands to Epps that she be allowed to have soap to rid herself of smell. And there was also the unforgettable sequence in which Patsey is brutally whipped by both “12 Years” central figure Solomon Northrup (Best Actor nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor) and then Epps. Dramatic episodes like those helped Nyong’o whip the competition.

3. It was a chance to give “12 Years a Slave” a major award.
The film reaped nine nominations, putting it one shy of the double-digit tallies of  “American Hustle” and “Gravity.” With “Gravity” pulling in most of the tech trophies, there were few places left for voters to select “12 Years.” And as Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto had become respective Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor locks for “Dallas Buyers Club,” both Ejiofor and Fassbender had little hope of joining the Oscar winners’ club. Best Supporting Actress for Nyong’o was one of the few places left for voters to honor “12 Years,” and so they did. (Along with Best Adapted Screenplay and of course, Best Picture of the year.)

4. She was an exciting newcomer.
The academy has long had a soft spot for fresh talent in the Best Supporting Actress races. Allow me to provide some examples from the past few decades. Linda Hunt in 1983’s “The Year of Living Dangerously.” Geena Davis in 1988’s “The Accidental Tourist.” Marisa Tomei in 1992’s “My Cousin Vinny.” Anna Paquin in 1993’s “The Piano.” Angelina Jolie in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted.” Jennifer Hudson in 2006’s “Dreamgirls.” And Octavia Spencer 2011’s “The Help.” Two years later, Lupita would become the latest in a long line of ladies to go from relative unknown to Oscar-winning actress.

5. She was able to get past everyone in the lineup.
Hawkins was something of a coattail nomination to Blanchett, so the nomination was her reward. The same could be said for Squibb, who rode in as part of the “Nebraska” express. Roberts had a large and juicy role. But she was also a previous recipient (for Best Actress of 2000 for “Erin Brockovich”), and the academy was rather cool to “August: Osage County.” Finally, Lawrence had been named Best Actress for “Silver Linings Playbook” just a year earlier. A bookend trophy so soon probably seemed like a little too much. That left no one in the way of Nyong’o and the gold, and her screams in “12 Years a Slave” unabashedly calling out for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

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