Following a supporting role in the action-thriller '' Non-Stop '' ( 2014 ) , Nyong ' o co-starred in '' Star Wars : The Force Awakens '' ( 2015 ) as Force-sensitive space pirate Maz Kanata , a CGI character created using motion capture technology . Nyong ' o said that she had wanted to play a role where her appearance was not relevant . The acting provided a different challenge from her role as Patsey . Scott Mendelson of '' Forbes '' , characterised Nyong ' o 's role as " the center of the film 's best sequence , " and Stephanie Zacharek of '' Time '' called her a " delightful minor character " . Nyong ' o was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress at the 42nd Saturn Awards and Best Virtual Performance at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards for her role
2016 MTV Movie Awards
2016 MTV Movie Awards
Lupita Nyong'o