From Kerry Washington to Lupita Nyong'o, Hollywood's Leading Ladies Celebrated at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon

By InStyle Staff
Feb 28, 2014 @ 2:45 pm
Andreas Branch/Patrick McMullan/Sipa USA; Matt Baron/BEImages; Lionel Hahn/AbacaUSA/startraksphoto.com

Kerry Washington, Garcelle Beauvais, and Alfre Woodard stepped out on the red carpet in bold frocks at the 7th annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon to celebrate Lupita Nyong'o, who received the Best Breakthrough Performance Award. "Thank you very much for inviting me to be a part of such an extraordinary community. I am surrounded by people who have inspired me, women in particular whose presence on screen made me feel a little more seen and heard and understood,"says Nyong'o during her acceptance speech.

As stars mixed and mingled, and enjoyed a savory lunch complete with beet carpaccio, stuffed chicken, and a vegan eggplant dish, Nyong'o ended her emotional speech with a touching message for every girl and woman. "I hope that my presence on your screen and my face in magazines may lead you, young girls, on a beautiful journey," she adds. "That you will feel the validation of your external beauty, but also get to the deeper business of being beautiful inside." How inspirational! To see who else stepped out for the event, look through our gallery!

MORE:• Lupita Nyong'o and More Honored At Alfre Woodard's Annual Soiree
• The 2014 Oscar Contenders Talk About Their Nominated Roles
• See the Most Memorable Oscar Gowns 

—Josephine Cusumano with reporting by Heather Newgen

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Lupita Nyong'o

Matt Baron/BEImages
accepted the Best Breakthrough Performance Award at the 7th annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon. "Thank you very much for inviting me to be a part of such an extraordinary community,"says Nyong'o (in Giambattista Valli) during her acceptance speech.
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Kerry Washington

Andreas Branch/Patrick McMullan/Sipa USA
proudly showed off her baby bump in a Calvin Klein Collection gown where she was joined by fellow stars Gayle King, Angela Bassett, and more.

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Alfre Woodard

Jen Lowery/Splash News
made a sweet introduction for her co-star, Lupita Nyong'o, who received the Best Breakthrough Performance Award based on her work in '12 Years a Slave.'
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Garcelle Beauvais

Lionel Hahn/AbacaUSA/startraksphoto.com
"I wanted color and something comfortable. Last year I did a big full skirt so this year I wanted to change up the silhouette," explains Beauvais (in Tibi) to InStyle. "I never use a stylist. I like to create it myself and my style is classy, sexy, but definitely on the classic side."

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Joy Bryant

Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Retna Ltd
looked chic in a sparkling Reem Acra gown accented with a jacket despite a quick change. "I had a fashion disaster," Bryant explains to InStyle as she arrived to The Beverly Hills Hotel. "Something happened and I had to switch as I was leaving the house." No one would have ever known!
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