Lupita Nyong'o + Lancome. Get Excited.

This is the collaboration we've been waiting for: Lupita Nyong’o has signed on to be the new face of international beauty house Lancôme, reports USA Today. Nyong’o will be joining the ranks of mega stars like Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet, and Penelope Cruz and has the honor of being the first black spokesperson for brand.

Lupita Nyong’o has flown under the radar since her big Oscar win and red carpet reign this winter. I suppose elegantly rising from relative obscurity to become one of the most talked about women in the world can take a lot out of girl. With this deal, she has now emerged with a new beauty contract and big plans for the future.

The historical nature of the announcement was not lost on the Kenya-raised actress. In a statement released on Friday, the star expressed her excitement over the new campaign set to debut in the Fall, and the part she sees it playing in a new vision of beauty worldwide.

"I am truly honored to join the Maison Lancôme, a brand with such a prestigious history that I have always loved," she said. "I am particularly proud to represent its unique vision for women and the idea that beauty should not be dictated, but should instead be an expression of a woman's freedom to be herself."

In an in depth interview with WWD, Nyong’o explains why she chose Lancôme as her first beauty ambassadorship:

What appealed to me about Lancôme is that they’re not dictating what beauty is. What they do supports something that already is — and that was appealing to me, too. It’s what drew me to them.

The idea that Lancôme now has a few actor ambassadors is significant because actors are not just faces, they are spirits that people enjoy and relate to more than in an aesthetic way. We have the privilege of standing for something other than just looks.

In the future, we can expect to see more of her work in front of the camera and behind it. She plans on writing and directing more documentaries — her film In My Genes was stirring — and though only rumors have circulated regarding her next acting role, she has a working list of dream directors: she mentions Kathryn Bigelow and my heart skipped a beat. Nyong'o also plans to revisit her first home: theater. She performed on stage during her Yale University years and looks forward to returning soon.

Though many have speculated on Nyong’o’s future in Hollywood, it is obvious that she is not hedging all her bets on acting. She is a multi-talented artist with credentials beyond an Academy Award, and she is a style icon for the 21st Century, which is sure to keep her name in the headlines — or at least on magazine covers.

I suspect if Hollywood never comes knocking again, Lupita Nyong’o will be just fine.

Image: Instagram/@lancomeusa