She’s stunning, she’s smart, she’s talented.   Kenyan actress and filmmaker, Lupita Nyong’o  recently made her American film debut in Steve McQueen’s ’12 Years a Slave’ as Patsey.  She  is generating Oscar buzz all over Hollywood already. So who really is Lupita Nyong’o ? Yale School of Drama graduate Lupita Nyong’o  is an upcoming actress who’s taken Hollywood by storm. Born in Mexico and raised in Kenya by an influential family (her father is a professor at the University of Nairobi & FORBES named her cousin as one of Africa’s most powerful women in 2012), Lupita starred in the Kenyan television series Shuga (2008) and wrote, directed, and produced the documentary In My Genes (2009) before setting her sights on Hollywood. She has a few editor, director and producer credits to her name thanks to creating a video documentary or two on her own.  And now that this 30-year-old gorgeous gal has landed her first big screen role, Hollywood execs (and award show committees) have taken notice. The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed that Lupita will receive the prestigious New Hollywood Award at the 17th annual Hollywood Film Awards on Oct. 21. She’ll be in good company as Robert Pattinson, Gabourey Sidibe and Quvenzhane Wallis have all received the award. Film director Steve McQueen noted that 1,000 hopefuls audition for Lupita’s role in 12 Years A Slave and “It was like finding Scarlett O’Hara.”  Next up for Lupita, she’ll star opposite big screen vet Liam Neeson in Non-Stop. In the photo above, Lupita (in a blue Roland Mouret cocktail dress and Kwiat jewelry) posed with director Steve McQueen, actress Sarah Paulson, actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, actress Alfre Woodard, and actor Paul Dano at the premiere of the movie during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center this week. Photos via Getty