EXCLUSIVE: 12 Years a Slave star Lupita Nyong’o is an 'ice, cold diva' and 'manipulative b****' who refuses to speak to Eclipsed castmates when not in character for the Broadway-bound play

  • Lupita Nyong'o, 32, blew off castmates’ invitations to go to lunch and doesn't speak to anyone off stage, source reveals to Daily Mail Online
  • The Oscar-winning actress has big security guards backstage because of alleged stalker at tiny theatre where she is starring in Eclipsed
  • Nyong'o was initially turned down for role before her Oscar win and now practically runs the show, says source
  • She showed up with huge entourage at opening night party despite cast being told not to bring guests due to space limitations
  • For the Broadway run, smitten producers are leaving it up to Lupita on deciding who will join her
  • One co-star is leaving the show early because she can't stand working with Lupita, claims source

By Ruth Styles For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:28 EST, 4 November 2015 | Updated: 13:25 EST, 5 November 2015

She won over America's hearts with her breakthrough role in 12 Years a Slave but that sweet persona may all just be an act.

A source tells Daily Mail Online Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o is really a diva who is completely overshadowing her co-stars of the Broadway-bound play Eclipsed with her backstage antics.

Theater actresses Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah, and Saycon Sengbloh were all initially excited to work with Hollywood's breakout star, but now the four women can barely stand to share the stage with her, theatre sources reveal.

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Diva antics: Source tells Daily Mail Online Lupita refuses to speak to her Eclipsed castmates when she is not in character and that she declined all invitations to go to lunch with the four women

Diva antics: Source tells Daily Mail Online Lupita refuses to speak to her Eclipsed castmates when she is not in character and that she declined all invitations to go to lunch with the four women

All an act: Lupita Nyong'o's co-stars of the Broadway-bound play Eclipsed can't stand to share the stage with her, source claims

All an act: Lupita Nyong'o's co-stars of the Broadway-bound play Eclipsed can't stand to share the stage with her, source claims

Biggest fan: Source reveals executive producer Stephen C. Byrd paid Lupita top-dollar to be in Eclipsed

Biggest fan: Source reveals executive producer Stephen C. Byrd paid Lupita top-dollar to be in Eclipsed

Theatre maverick Stephen C. Byrd, who is executive producer of the play's Broadway run, was adamant that Nyong'o be cast in the show after learning she was turned down for the role while an undergrad at Yale School of Drama.

'Stephen paid her top-dollar to be in this production. He's head over heels to have her in the show and has made it clear to everyone, whatever Lupita wants, she gets. 

'He's assured her that this is her show and he'll move mountains to please her,' a source told Daily Mail Online, before adding: 'And she's milking that!'

A story of four women during the Civil War of Liberia circa 2003 confined to slave-like quarters in a rural compound by a warlord rebel leader; Nyong'o's co-stars thought the ladies should build chemistry by having lunch off-site together during rehearsals for the show this past summer.

'She declined all invitations to go out to lunch with her cast members and keeps to herself in the shared dressing room quarters while the ladies went out. 

'She even tried to get her own separate dressing room at The Public Theater, but the venue didn't have the space for it,' the source explained. 

'If Stephen could have done it, he would've. I'm surprised he didn't get a trailer for her like she was on a film set outside the venue.'

Eclipsed had its opening night performance on October 15th, which attracted celebrities such as Stevie Wonder, Oscar winner Common, singer Deborah Cox, Orange is the New Black star Danielle Brooks and Tony Award winner Adriane Lenox. 

Sold out: Eclipsed debuted October 15th at The Public and will move to Broadway in February 2016

Sold out: Eclipsed debuted October 15th at The Public and will move to Broadway in February 2016

An intimate party at The Public followed the opening. 

Because the soiree was held in the intimate venue, the cast was told they were not allowed to bring family and friends due to limited space.

'That didn't stop Lupita! She had a full entourage trailing her every move.

Her co-stars were offended because they couldn't share the moment with their loved ones and Lupita had enough people to start an NBA team,' the source said.

Though the 12 Years a Slave star comes across as Hollywood's darling and America's sweetheart in public, her Eclipsed co-stars feel she's an 'ice princess' and a 'manipulative b****' behind the scenes.

'She doesn't speak to anyone when she's not on stage and in character. She has security backstage because she claims she has a stalker. 

'She only wants to do press interviews alone, despite the show being an ensemble piece. She's done everything she can to alienate herself from her co-stars,' said the source.

Regardless, Eclipsed is playing to a sold-out run at The Public and it has already been announced that the show will move to Broadway in February 2016. 

Only Nyong'o has been confirmed for the Broadway transfer and Byrd has told her she can decide which of her co-stars she would like to take along, souces claim.

'Now the fate of these actresses is in the hands of a woman who barely speaks to them. 

'They are all walking on eggshells and are all appalled that just a few years ago, the director wouldn't even cast her in the show and now she's determining who's joining her in her Broadway debut,' added the source.

Eclipsed star Sengbloh is fed up with the backstage tension and has decided to exit the production before the show's run at The Public is scheduled to end and has not given a reason. 

Breakout role: Lupita starred in 12 Years a Slave earning rave reviews. In 2014, she won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her part in the movie

Breakout role: Lupita starred in 12 Years a Slave earning rave reviews. In 2014, she won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her part in the movie

Continued success: The Oscar winner will be in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She calls the chance to be in it a blessing

Continued success: The Oscar winner will be in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens. She calls the chance to be in it a blessing

'Everyone knows she just wants a peace of mind. 

'She's tired of the drama backstage and doesn't want Lupita thinking she'll determine when and where she will work, so she's walking away with her dignity,' the source revealed.

With the upcoming release of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, which broke the internet with the release of its trailer last week, and Eclipsed moving to Broadway; Nyong'o is unbothered by the discord she's caused backstage because she only focused on herself.

'She's the nucleus of the backstage drama but she knows that the only thing she has to do is wear her designer fashions, flash her dazzling smile and she will win over the masses,' the source continued. 

'She's so good at playing the 'damsel in distress' role that many people think she's really an ingénue but her backstage behavior only exacerbates the fact that she's an ice, cold, untouchable diva.'  

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