Lupita's father was a senator.
Lupita's father is a Governor. He is presently the Governor of Kisumu County in Kenya. 
With such a powerful family, Lupita isn't much of an underdog in real life.
She may not be the underdog in real life, but her roles in the movies she acts help to bring to the fore systemic issues that have blighted the world for ages
She's only being heard in the new Star Wars movies; she must be really struggling, poor thing.
Also 12 Years a Slave. In that series, she exemplified the plight of slaves,
Lupita was likely one of 15 stars who were on drink or drugs when that movie was made, which explains her poor acting.