NEED TO KNOW
- Junior Nyong’o dazzled at Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night opening night in a stylish white ensemble with a tan shirt
- The actor told PEOPLE it was a “bespoke outfit” from Rwandan designer Matthew Rugamba’s House of Tayo fashion house
- “I’ll always put on the continent whenever I can,” Junior said
Junior Nyong’o rang in a milestone with a special outfit.
Wearing a stylish white ensemble with a tan shirt, the actor dazzled at the opening night of Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night at Delacorte Theater in New York City’s Central Park on Aug. 21.
Junior tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that he was wearing a “bespoke outfit” from Rwandan designer Matthew Rugamba’s House of Tayo.
“I’ll always put on the continent whenever I can,” the actor, who was born in Nairobi, Kenya, says.
Junior, who stars in the production opposite his real-life sister Lupita Nyong’o, explains that the beaded eye detail on his jacket was inspired by the Shakespeare work.
“[Rugamba’s] inspiration behind it was how this play is all about perception and the four eyes are the eyes of the twins. We see this play through their eyes,” he says.
Junior paired the outfit with tan shoes and a long gold necklace that resembled feathers. The actor also accessorized dangling black-and-white earrings and a large brown ring. He styled his long locks into a bun that showed off the shaved sides of his head.
According to House of Tayo’s website, the brand showcases “African sophistication, style and flavor through contemporary, locally-made clothing and accessories.”
Junior and Lupita lead the cast of Twelfth Night as twins Viola and Sebastian. The production also stars Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sandra Oh and Peter Dinklage, among others.
The actor says co-starring with his Oscar-winning sister has been “a dream come true,” and a long time coming.
“I’ve been thinking about this since the first time I did Twelfth Night eight years ago, [in] an all-male production at Orlando Shakespeare Theater,” he recalls. “That was my first real interaction with the play and I was like, ‘Wait, these are twins — I feel like me and my sister [could] play twins.’ ”
“So I kind of put it out in the universe,” Junior continues. “But the fact that it’s come back eight years later, it’s definitely a dream come true, and it’s been so much fun to be able to do this with basically my best friend.”
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Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night runs through Sept. 14.
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