Why Did Lupita Nyong’o and Boyfriend Selema Masekela Break Up? Her Claims on ‘Deception’ Explained

Lupita Nyong’o is “in a season of heartbreak” now, she revealed, following what appears to be a dramatic split from now-ex-boyfriend Selema Masekela. The former couple were going strong for almost a year until the Us actress announced she had faced “deception” and “pain” from their breakup. 

Why Did Lupita Nyong’o and Selema Masekela Break Up? 

On October 19, the Black Panther actress wrote an emotional and lengthy statement via Instagram, announcing that she and the former ESPN reporter broke up. 

“At this moment, it is necessary for me to share a personal truth and publicly dissociate myself from someone I can no longer trust,” Lupita’s note began. “I find myself in a season of heartbreak because of a love suddenly and devastatingly extinguished by deception. I am tempted to run into the shadows and hide, only to return to the light when I have regained my strength enough for me to say, ‘Whatever, my life is better this way.’ But I am reminded that the magnitude of the pain I am feeling is equal to the measure of my capacity for love. And so, I am choosing to face the pain, cultivating the courage to meet my life exactly as it is, and trusting that this too shall pass.”

Lupita continued, “The promise, they say, is that a tender heart is what gives birth to fearlessness. I hope it’s true … I share this to keep it [100 emoji], and hoping that the knowledge of my experience might be useful to someone else out there experiencing the grip of heartbreak who is poised to try and escape from the pain and miss out on the wisdom that comes from it.”

At the end of her post, the Oscar winner concluded, “#Breakup Let’s face our pain so we don’t spread it.”

Lupita and Selema first went public with their relationship in December 2022. However, it is not clear how long they were dating before then. Back in 2016, Selema tweeted that he developed a crush on Lupita, writing, “Hypothetically speaking of course, let’s say you’re seated behind Lupita Nyong’o on an airplane, what would be your opening line?”

Who Is Lupita Nyong’o Dating Now? 

It appears that the 12 Years a Slave star is single. Before she was linked to Selema, she was rumored to have been dating Janelle Monáe. However, Lupita shut down the speculation during a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone. 

“She has magnetism that they were obviously picking up on. She is that enigmatic,” Lupita explained. “People are curious about enigmatic people. I was not surprised [about the rumors].”

Previously, fans wondered whether Lupita was linked to Jared Leto during the 2014 Academy Awards season. Both went on to receive Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards at the time, but Lupita reportedly confirmed that they were just friends. 

Are Lupita Nyong’o and Joshua Jackson Dating? 

Shortly before announcing her and Selema’s split, Lupita was spotted hanging out with Fatal Attraction series star Joshua Jackson while attending one of Janelle’s concerts. Josh had just split from his estranged wife, Jodie Turner-Smith, and both are in the process of getting a divorce. 

However, Lupita and Joshua are not dating. TMZ reported that “they’ve known each other for years, and there’s nothing romantic about the night out.”