The new sincerity of Lupita Nyong’o

More than a month ago I wrote a mediocre and overly sarcastic column criticizing the unashamed self-congratulatory nature of the Academy Awards.

They’re still unashamedly self-congratulatory and narcissistic, but this year I noticed a couple of acceptance speeches that renewed my hope in true sincerity and humility.
Jared Leto, Cate Blanchett and even “all right, all right, all right” Matthew McConaughey gave moving speeches.

Leto paid touching tribute to his mother. Blanchett implored Hollywood to make more films with female protagonists, McConaughey cited God and (of course) himself in 10 years as his heroes.

But the best speech of the night was obviously that of “12 Years a Slave” star Lupita Nyong’o. The grace and sincerity of the first-time nominee and practically first-time actress was unparalleled by any speech I’ve seen in recent years.

Nyong’o looked positively radiant in her baby-blue gown, and she literally beamed as she said probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard on an Oscar stage: “It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else’s.” This of course was alluding to the fact that this film and her role wouldn’t have even existed if not for the actual reality of slavery.

I’ve never heard this much humility and selflessness on a stage at any awards show. She didn’t fail to recognize the true heroes of the story in “12 Years a Slave”: the slaves themselves.

Not one sign of narcissism or ego was on that stage with her. And I know all the winners make a big effort to look like they’re humble and thankful and un-pretentious, but for Nyong’o this graciousness came just as naturally as her elegance. But the most touching moment came after the speech during a quick shot backstage right before commercial.

Nyong’o was cradling her statuette like an infant, and it was evident that she had been crying. She smiled at the statue then looked up and noticed that she was being filmed and gave a huge “look at me mom!” grin to the camera and looked like she was tearing up again. Something about this simple moment of unapologetic elation was so moving to me. Maybe I do have a heart. Damnit.

The public is sick of egomaniacal celebrities whose every word is rife with narcissism and insincerity. That stuff isn’t funny or cute anymore. It’s just fodder for eye rolls and hateful tweets. And everybody knows that whatever’s said on the Internet is law. And, of course, whatever I say in my columns overrides that law.

Celebrities need to take a hint from Nyong’o that sincerity and humility will always beat out sarcasm and ego. Hell, everybody needs to take that hint.  But one thing’s for sure.

I’m definitely taking out the penis jokes from my Oscar acceptance speech.

­zipperr@indiana.edu
@rileyezipper