Lupita’s Side Hustle? Pro Braiding

As if scooping up an Oscar wasn't enough to show the world how talented she is, Lupita Nyong'o has been harboring a secret gift: She can braid your hair professionally. A new video on Vogue, which coincides with her July cover story, shows her deftly plaiting the strands of six lucky friends. And, like her acting chops, her braiding skills are pretty incredible.

"When I was an undergrad here in the U.S., I wanted to get my hair braided," she says in the video. "So, I took the bus to New York to get it done at the African salons." The experience, however, didn't result in the braids Nyong'o wanted. So, she did what anyone else would do in that situation — she asked her aunt back in Kenya, who owned a salon, to teach her to braid her own hair.

Armed with the knowledge of cornrows, dookie braids, and bantu knots, Lupita returned to school hoping to try out her new skill on her friends. "When I got back to school, I decided [braiding] was going to be my side hustle," she says. But, it turns out, the actress didn't have the heart to charge anyone for her services.

To this day, Lupita still keeps her hand in the world of braiding. Her friends model their newly plaited strands at the end of the video, and you'd never guess they were crafted by an Academy Award winner. "Your hair is your frame — it's so important," she says. "If you jack up someone's hair, the world sees it." That may be true, but something tells us that even if she did jack up our manes, we'd still find a way to dig it.

Click over to Vogue to watch the full video and read her interview. And, Lupita — we're always up for a plait session if you're offering.