Lupita Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong'o reacts as she is announced as the winner of the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "12 years a Slave" at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood LUCY NICHOLSON;

Known for her epic performance in Steve McQueen's "12 Years A Slave," Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o is the 86th Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress beating crowds favorite Jennifer Lawrence. Thanks to her harrowing portrayal of a slave, Lupita won her first Oscar and stunned at the red carpet with her custom-made gown.

Lupita Nyong'o reacts as she is announced as the winner of the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in "12 years a Slave" at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood

"It's a blue that reminds me of Nairobi so I wanted to have a little bit of home," says that 31-year-old actress in an interview Ryan Secrest with E! Red Carpet Show. The actress took home an Independent Spirit Award for the same role on her birthday and tells host Ryan Secrest that she never dreamed of walking the Red Carpet and winning an Oscar.

"I didn't grow up watching the Oscars so for me it was something I really came to understand it was a big deal when I was in college," she says.

Lupita Nyong'o, best supporting actress nominee for her role in "12 years a Slave", arrives on the red carpet at the 86th Academy Awards in Hollywood

Born in Mexico but grew up in Kenya, Lupita played Patsey in "12 Years A Slave" which is based on the real-life memoir of kidnap victim Solomon Northup played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. One of the movie's memorable scenes is when Patsey receives a flogging for wanting to wash with soap.

The film also stars "X-Men" actor Michael Fassbender as the cruel slave master Edwin Epps, Benedict Cumberbatch as William Ford and Brad Pitt as Samuel Bass. Now an Award Winning actress, Lupita accepted her award with flare and sophistication as she thanked the people close to her heart.

"It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to so much pain in someone else's," says Lupita in the first part of her speech.

"Thank you for putting me in this position; it has been the joy of my life ... I'm certain that the dead are standing around you and saluting you," Nyong'o thank her director Steve McQueen at the Dolby theater in front of Hollywood A-list stars.

She ended her heartfelt Oscar speech with: "No matter where you're from, you dreams are valid."