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DECORATED actress Lupita Nyong'o is used to making headlines for her roles across motion pictures.

Following the 2022 Oscars ceremony, fans on social media saw Lupita go viral for a different reason.

Lupita Nyong'o had a front-row seat to the Will Smith and Chris Rock altercation
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Lupita Nyong'o had a front-row seat to the Will Smith and Chris Rock altercation

Why is Lupita Nyong'o going viral?

The 94th Academy Awards broadcast kicked off at 8pm EST on March 27, 2022.

Lupita Nyong'o was in attendance, seated near Best Actor nominee turned winner, Will Smith.

During the broadcast, host Chris Rock aimed a punchline at Will's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, which noted her buzzed hairstyle - and it didn't go down too well.

The comedic actor referenced a Demi Moore film from the 1990s and joked: "Jada, I love you. GI Jane 2, can't wait to see it."

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But following the quip, Will left his seat to approach the podium and confront the host.

The Fresh Prince actor stormed the stage, and struck Chris across the face in a shocking moment that rocked the night.

Will then walked off the stage and the two exchanged words.

When the cameras panned back to Will, Lupita was also caught in the frame.

Though the camera was focused on Will, Lupita's reaction to the unforeseen altercation was visible to viewers.

Chris said: "Oh wow. Will Smith just smacked the s**t out of me."

To which the Oscar winner responded: "Leave my wife’s name out of your f**king mouth."

Chris added: "Wow, it was a GI Jane joke," to which Will repeated the same reply he uttered before.

Throughout the entire ordeal and exchange of words, Lupita's facial expressions as a bystander were witnessed by Oscar audiences.

The cameras caught Lupita's reaction as a bystander of the Will vs Chris drama
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The cameras caught Lupita's reaction as a bystander of the Will vs Chris dramaCredit: AMPAS 2022

What did Oscar viewers say on social media?

Although Chris and Will's violent fiasco resulted in their own viral moment of the night, Lupita also made waves for her genuine expression .

Spectators were quick to comment on Lupita's reaction, with one watcher commenting on Twitter: "I need a gif of Lupita asap...She was right there lmao."

One user tweeted: "LUPITA WAS ALL OF US."

Another user posted: "I just need to hear what Lupita has to say."

And a fan said: "Its the way Lupita looked at Chris Rock after realizing Will Smith wasn't playing games about, Jada."

As the tweets poured in, another fan said: "Lupita Nyong'o's reaction is exactly what I think I looked like watching this for the first time: laughing thinking it's all scripted between Chris Rock and Will Smith, up till the moment Will drops the F Bombs, esp that SECOND time. #Oscars2022"

Another comment read: "The funniest thing about Will at the Oscars was Lupita’s facial expression and the fact that Chris Rock ain’t even rub the hit cheek, just let it sting and sizzle."

What is Lupita's net worth?

The famed actress rose to prominence during the 2010s for her string of movie appearances.

Lupita starred in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Black Panther, Us, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

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According to the star amassed an estimated fortune of $10million.

For her 2013 performance in 12 Years A Slave, she was awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

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