Lupita Nyong’o endorses Zohran Mamdani, revealing how she met him 20 years ago

“Zohran has always been an incredibly talented and productive person,” said the Academy Award-winning actress.

Actress Lupita Nyong’o is throwing her Hollywood influence behind New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani just days before Election Day.

“I believe that Zohran Mamdani possesses the personality, skills, and temperament to be an excellent mayor of New York City. The polls are open now, and it was an honor to cast my vote for him!” wrote Nyong’o in a social media post sharing her “two cents” about the candidacy and character of Mamdani, whom she has known for 20 years.

“We met when he was just 14, during my internship at his mother‘s production company, Mirabai Films. After a month of hearing his name mentioned, I found myself curious about this boy,” wrote Nyong’o, who began her acting career in New York City in the early 2000s, before she ultimately won an Academy Award for her debut film role in “12 Years a Slave.”

Recalling her first encounter with then-teenage Zohran, she wrote, “The young man before me was present, warm, and respectful. He greeted everyone, introduced himself to me with genuine eye contact, and a smile. There were no airs about him, no trace of entitlement. He was down-to-earth and comfortable in his own skin.”

Nyong’o said she reconnected with Mamdani when he was an adult, when they worked together on the film “Queen of Katwe” in Uganda, where he was born.

“The boy I’d met had matured, but his warmth, presence, and engagement remained,” she recalled.

While on set, Mamdani “managed an ever-changing community of cast and crew with grace, easing tensions as they arose and maintaining remarkable calm under immense pressure.”

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“Zohran did all of this with the affable spirit we’ve all come to know and love. He was focused, dedicated, and passionate about the work. Whether on our film set or in politics, Zohran has always been an incredibly talented and productive person,” Nyong’o shared.

The Hollywood star said she was not surprised when, years later, Mamdani told her he was running for the New York State Assembly.

“I was impressed. This young man was choosing a challenging, often thankless path because he believed he had something to offer the people of the city he grew up in and loved so deeply,” said Nyong’o.

“I recognized that same glint in his eyes when he spoke about his political aspirations, the same one I’ve seen when we worked together on the film. The qualities that made Zohran an exceptional leader in my experience with him on set translate powerfully to the political career he’s established.”

Pointing out the qualities that she believes will make a good mayor–centering the needs of others and empowering them, and remaining “calm and clearheaded” in times of conflict–Nyong’o said she had no doubt Mamdani was the right person for the job.

The last time Nyong’o saw her years-long friend, Mamdani, was earlier this summer while backstage after a performance of the New York City public theater show “Twelfth Night.”

“Despite his busy schedule, he still showed up for his loved ones and supported one of NYC‘s treasures, Shakespeare in the Park,” she wrote. “Now that’s character I can get behind.”