Flashback To…Lupita Nyong’o As An A-List Assistant

It's hard to believe it now, but once upon a time, Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o was paying her dues as lowly production assistant. "I just had to be on the set," The Force Awakens star told ABC last fall about a gig she had on The Constant Gardener while still in college. Her role came with a range of different duties — including escorting Ralph Fiennes to his scene one day. "Ralph is a very still man on set," the actress reflected in November. "It would be very quiet and that made me uncomfortable. I'd try to make chitchat, asking, 'What's your favorite film? Of all the films you've been in, which have you enjoyed the most?' He was so polite, and he responded to me. At one point, though, he just said, 'Lupita, give me my space.'" Another A-lister from that film? Rachel Weisz — with whom Nyong'o had a recent reunion. The two women had what looks to have been a little lovefest during a photo shoot with Vanity Fair. (Clearly circumstances have changed quite a lot since The Constant Gardener days.) The Star Wars actress shared this adorable outtake of herself and Weisz, looking happy to be hanging out together. From escorting a famous actor to his scene to being featured among the best in the business? Now, that's what we'd call a Hollywood fairy tale.