The 31-year-old star, who is known for her role in the Oscar-winning movie '12 years a Slave', during an emotional speech at a conference said she takes her mother to wherever she goes to keep a piece of her home with her, reported People Magazine.
"My mommy is here. My number one cheerleader," she said.
While discussing her childhood dreams of becoming an actress, the Kenyan-American star who lived in African country started to cry.
"What I wanted more than anything was to make believe for a living. When I watched 'The Color Purple' and watched 'Oprah and Whoopi Goldberg', a seed was planted in my heart to becoming an actor, but I dared not water it in public," said an emotional Nyong'o.