Fans, supporters, and well-wishers of Kenyan-Mexican Hollywood actress Lupita Nyong’o have shown their solidarity with her following her announcement of her separation from US-based TV host Selema Masekela.
Nyong’o took to Instagram to express her desire to share “a personal truth.”
She wrote about finding herself in a season of heartbreak caused by a sudden and devastating end to a love that was extinguished by deception. She did not mention anyone by name.
Masekela has chosen not to make any statements and has disabled comments on his Instagram account.
In December of last year, Nyong’o, a highly acclaimed Hollywood actress, publicly announced her relationship with Masekela. This was a significant moment, as she had already made history in 2014 by becoming the first Kenyan to win an Oscar, following in the footsteps of South African actress Charlize Theron, who was the second African to achieve this feat.
Nyong’o captioned the video, introducing their relationship with the simple words “We just click!”. She has since deleted the post.
Selema, the son of the South African jazz legend Hugh Masekela, also expressed his admiration for Nyong’o in a separate post.
“Hearts are synched,” he said, “My whole and actual love Lupita Nyongo.”
In her post about the breakup, Nyong’o expressed her desire to publicly distance herself from someone she can no longer trust. She also mentioned that her love had been extinguished due to deception.
The announcement of the couple’s split has come as a surprise to many of their fans. They had seen the news of their relationship as a heartwarming moment, especially since Masekela had previously sought advice from his fans on how to start a conversation with the Black Panther star.
Thousands of comments in support of Nyong’o have been posted by her fans and some of her celebrity friends. Over the years, she has gained a large fanbase with over 1.9 million on X alone, through her captivating performances in Hollywood hits such as Us and Black Panther.
Nyong’o has received praise from numerous fans for her “bravery” and her willingness to openly discuss a private and sensitive matter with the public.
“Love to you Sis. You have already overcome this just by how you’ve decided to handle this. We love you,” Vaughnette Bigford wrote on Facebook.
“We lift you up with love and sisterhood. Your miracles are all around you. Let us count them in confidence and faith,” expressed Oscar-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay.
In her post, Nyong’o expressed her hope that sharing her experience could be helpful to others who are going through heartbreak. She believes that by trying to avoid the pain, one might miss out on the valuable wisdom that can be gained from it.
Some people have, however, taken to social media to challenge Lupita for giving up too easily. According to one post, she should have worked on salvaging her relationship, rather than giving up on the first huddle.
“Leaving a man because he slept with another woman is foolishness,” the post concluded. This has received a lot of reactions from fans, some agreeing with the poster, but many supporting Lupita.
“I rather perish than to tolerate disrespect. Washed up or not…you can’t expect women to die inside so men can run around to get their satisfaction, ” expressed Ms. Nkwenkwezi Mafeking.
There have been very few comments supporting Masekela.
