Lupita Nyong’o and Kumail Nanjiani Speaks on Immigration

Lupita Nyong’o and Kumail Nanjiani Speaks on Immigration

The Oscars 2018 has come and gone, but the memories stays. And one of such was the powerful statement Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o made while introducing the award for achievement in production design.

The 12 Years a Slave actress, alongside Pakistani actor Kumail Nanjiani, spoke about the power in dreaming, the foundation of America and Hollywood, and the politics of immigration, especially policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which President Trump ended last September.

The duo, without mentioning the controversial policy, reminded the audience that they all came from different countries and made America home, just like the founding fathers.

Here’s what they said, as published by the New York Times:

LUPITA NYONG’O: Good evening. We are the two actors you keep hearing about but whose names you have trouble pronouncing.

KUMAIL NANJIANI: Actually, I have to come clean. Kumail Nanjiani is my stage name. My actual given Pakistani name is Chris Pine. So you can imagine how annoyed I was when the other — when the white Chris Pine showed up. The “real” Chris Pine.

NYONG’O: We are also immigrants. I’m from Kenya.

NANJIANI: And I’m from — Kenya is in the house. And I am from Pakistan and Iowa. Two places that nobody in Hollywood can find on a map.

NYONG’O: And like everyone in this room, and everyone watching at home, we are dreamers. We grew up dreaming of one day working in movies. Dreams are the foundation of Hollywood. And dreams are the foundation of America.

NANJIANI: And so — to all the dreamers out there, we stand with you. Now, the nominees for achievement in production design.