Actress Lupita Nyongo overcame fear and adopts her first cat. Image via Instagram@lupitanyongo
Lupita Nyong’o embraces cats after ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ role
Award winning actress Lupita Nyong’o overcame her fear of cats and adopted one following her filming experience.
Actress Lupita Nyongo overcame fear and adopts her first cat. Image via Instagram@lupitanyongo
Lupita Nyong’o, the Academy Award-winning actress best known for her roles in Black Panther and 12 Years A Slave, has revealed her biggest challenge while filming A Quiet Place: Day One. It wasn’t the terrifying alien creatures or the panicked crowds – it was a cat.
Lupita Nyong’o and Pets
Despite having a pet Grey Mamba snake in her childhood, Nyong’o has always harboured a fear of felines. In a recent interview with Digital Spy alongside co-star Joseph Quinn, she opened up about not only conquering her feline phobia but ultimately learning to love cats.
Lupita Nyong’o Confronts Her Fear
The script for A Quiet Place: Day One immediately grabbed Nyong’o, with its compelling character, story, and director (Michael Sarnoski). However, she admitted, “The cat, that was the sticking point for me. I actually tried to get him to change the animal. He was like, ‘No, it has to be a cat.'” Determined to take on the role, Nyong’o embarked on a journey of “cat therapy.”
“They brought me cats to my home,” Nyong’o explained. “It started with two, and the first day, they just let the cats roam around me. I asked the woman who brought the cats questions about why they were doing certain things.” Gradually, over time, her fear subsided. “The next day, I touched one with one finger and slowly, slowly I got comfortable enough to hold a cat through this film.”
Conquering Fear
Having conquered her real-life fear, Nyong’o found herself ready to portray fear on screen. “I actually remember when we started doing this film and once the invasion had happened and we had to act scared, I was like, ‘Oh my god,'” she recalled. “I had amnesia about how much energy it takes to act scared all day. It’s very exhausting, but in the end, it’s very rewarding when it works.”
While facing her real-life fear might have been daunting, it seems Nyong’o hasn’t sworn off the horror genre entirely. “I didn’t learn my lesson, and that’s why I came back [to the horror genre],” she concluded with a laugh.
The experience not only helped Nyong’o conquer her fear but also led her to welcome a feline friend into her home after filming.
