Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o, known for her roles in “Black Panther” and “12 Years A Slave”, will lead the jury of next year’s Berlin Film Festival, organisers announced on Monday.

The Mexican-Kenyan actress shot to fame after her Oscar-winning performance as brutalised slave Patsy in Steve McQueen’s historical drama “12 Years A Slave”, often selecting roles that explore the African diaspora and themes of race.

More recently, she played female lead Nakia in “Black Panther” (2018), Marvel Studios’ first Black-led superhero film, and in its 2022 sequel. She also starred in Jordan Peele’s 2019 psychological horror “Us”.

Nyong’o has also appeared on stage and television. She is currently developing a series based on Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah”.

The jury of the Berlinale, as the German capital’s annual film festival is known, picks the winners of the Golden and Silver Bears, which alongside prizes in Cannes and Venice are among the most coveted awards on the international film festival circuit.

“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences, and consistency to one idea,” Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said in a statement.

In other news – Sean Diddy Combs company loses brands after s.e.x.ual abuse claims

Several companies are reportedly cutting ties with Sean “Diddy” Combs following the string of sexual abuse allegations brought against the music mogul.

Eighteen companies have terminated their partnership with Combs’ e-commerce platform Empower Global, according to a report from Rolling Stone published Sunday. Founded by Combs in 2021, Empower Global aims to promote Black-owned businesses with a digital marketplace that creates “opportunities for Black entrepreneurs to build and scale successful businesses and for everyone to ‘Shop Black’ daily with ease,” according to its official website. Read More