Tearful Lupita Nyong'o wins best supporting actress Oscars for 12 Years a Slave

Breakthrough star Lupita Nyong'o was left breathless and tearful as she was named best supporting actress at the Oscars.

Looking stunning in a pale blue Prada gown, the Kenyan-Mexican actress beat last year’s best actress winner Jennifer Lawrence to the gong.

She beat Julia Roberts, Sally Hawkins and June Squibb to the award.

The 31-year-old won for her gruelling portrayal of Patsey in Steve McQueen’s slavery epic 12 Years A Slave, based on a true story.

She said: “It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to the pain of someone else’s.

“Thank you to Solomon for telling her story and your own.”

She thanked British director McQueen, saying: “Thank you for putting me in this position – it has been the joy of my life.

"I'm certain the dead are standing about you and they are grateful and so am I."

And Michael Fassbender, who played brutal slave owner Edwin Epps but missed out in the best supporting actor category to Jared Leto, she called “her rock”.

Lupita’s win meant American Hustle star Lawrence did not manage to make it back to back Oscars after last year’s win for Silver Linings Playbook.

At least it meant she didn’t repeat her fall up the stairs of last year – particularly since she’d already tripped up on the red carpet this time around.

The other nominees were Julia Roberts for August: Osage County, June Squibb for Nebraska and Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine.

-Mirror