Lupita Nyong'o Turns Down Chance to Make Broadway Debut

Receiving a Tony Award to go with her Oscar is no longer next on Lupita Nyong'o's to-do list.

The Academy Award-winning 12 Years a Slave star has turned down the chance for a Broadway debut in Nick Payne's CONSTELLATIONS opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Reportedly, she turned it down so she could appear in the next STAR WARS film, STAR WARS: EPISODE VII.

Replacing Nyong'o is British actress Ruth Wilson.

Nyong'o made her acting debut with the short film East River and subsequently starred in the Kenyan television series Shuga (2009). Also in 2009, she wrote, produced and directed the documentary film In My Genes.

Nyong'o later completed a master's degree in acting from the Yale School of Drama, followed by her first feature film role in Steve McQueen's historical drama 12 Years a Slave (2013). Her role in the film was widely acclaimed, earning her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among numerous other awards and nominations. She had joined the cast of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: Episode VII.

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.

Additionally, actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the Saga Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.