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Lupita Nyong'o slams magazine that 'edited out and smoothed' her hair

The Oscar winner called out Grazia UK on social media for altering her appearance to "fit a more Eurocentric notion of what beautiful hair looks like."
/ Source: TODAY

Lupita Nyong’o is taking aim at a British magazine after the publication appeared to Photoshop her hair on the its latest cover.

The Oscar-winning actress took to Twitter on Thursday night to accuse Grazia UK of smoothing out her hair to “fit a more Eurocentric notion of what beautiful hair looks like.” Alongside a photo of the magazine, she attached what appears to be an original photo from the shoot — showing the ponytail that didn't make the cut.

Nyong’o, 34, elaborated on Instagram, writing that there is “still a very long way to go to combat the unconscious prejudice against black women's complexion, hair style and texture.”

“As I have made clear so often in the past with every fiber of my being, I embrace my natural heritage and despite having grown up thinking light skin and straight, silky hair were the standards of beauty, I now know that my dark skin and kinky, coily hair are beautiful too," the Kenyan-Mexican actress added.

Nyong'o's supporters expressed their anger and concern on social media.

On Friday, Grazia UK apologized in a statement sent to TODAY Style.

“Grazia is committed to representing diversity throughout its pages and apologizes unreservedly to Lupita Nyong’o,” the statement read.

It did not note who edited the photo but added, “Grazia magazine would like to make it clear that at no point did they make any editorial request to the photographer for Lupita Nyong'o's hair to be altered on this week’s cover, nor did we alter it ourselves. But we apologize unreservedly for not upholding the highest editorial standards in ensuring that we were aware of all alterations that had been made.”