--- description: Debunking rumors that Maz Kanata doesn't appear in Star Wars: Episode VIII, Lupita Nyong'o confirmed that she has shot scenes for the film. title: Lupita Nyong'o Confirms Maz Kanata Will Be in Star Wars: Episode VIII image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Lupita Nyong'o Confirms Maz Kanata Will Be in _Star Wars: Episode VIII_  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Sep 21, 2016 4:14 PM CUT  by [Megan McCluskey](/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Staff Writer Sep 21, 2016 4:14 PM CUT Debunking rumors that [Maz Kanata](http://time.com/3845835/lupita-nyongo-star-wars-name/ "undefined") doesn’t appear in [_Star Wars: Episode VIII_](http://time.com/4490070/adam-driver-star-wars-episode-viii-similar-empire-strikes-back/ "undefined"), [Lupita Nyong’o](http://time.com/4420739/black-panther-movie-cast/ "undefined") — who plays the computer-generated space pirate — confirmed that she has shot scenes for the upcoming installment in the space fantasy saga. The 33-year-old actress chatted about her recent _Vogue_ cover during Tuesday’s episode of _The Ellen DeGeneres Show_ before addressing the gossip surrounding her role in the galaxy far, far away. “I don’t know where this rumor came from — I have no idea. It hurt my feelings,” she told the host. “I’ve shot my scenes…You know you never really know when you shoot your scenes in a movie which ones are going to make it and all that, so it’s always fingers crossed. But as far as I know I’m in it.” Watch the full clip below. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4502780/lupita-nyongo-maz-kanata-star-wars-episode-viii/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4502780/lupita-nyongo-maz-kanata-star-wars-episode-viii/"},"headline":"Lupita Nyong'o Confirms Maz Kanata Will Be in Star Wars: Episode VIII","datePublished":"2016-09-21T16:14:13.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:36:49.723Z","description":"The mysterious space pirate is back","url":"https://time.com/4502780/lupita-nyongo-maz-kanata-star-wars-episode-viii/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","movies","Star Wars topic","Lupita Nyong'o","Ellen Degeneres","TV","The Ellen Degeneres Show","Star Wars Episode VIII"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Megan McCluskey","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4502780/lupita-nyongo-maz-kanata-star-wars-episode-viii/","name":"Lupita Nyong'o Confirms Maz Kanata Will Be in Star Wars: Episode VIII"}}]}] ```