Lupita Nyong'o expected her life to return to normality after winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2014.

The 32-year-old actress, who starred as Patsey in the Steve McQueen-directed '12 Years a Slave', has revealed she expected her ascent to fame to come to a halt after collecting the prestigious award.

She explained: ''You know, I thought it would come to an end after the Oscars. I thought the Oscars would come and go and then all of a sudden everything would be back to normal and I'd be back in my apartment.

''You know what kept me sane? Not knowing. Having never really experienced that before... because this was new territory I had no normal. I had no sense of what was normal in that world. It was all new. I don't think [I would do it again]. Not to that extent.''

Despite the increased levels of interest in her life, Lupita says she has no regrets about her chosen career path.

She told the British edition of Harper's Bazaar magazine: ''I enjoy learning new things. I enjoy being uncomfortable for some reason. It's more interesting, more challenging ... That's why I'm an actor. Because there's nothing comfortable about being an actor. You're always out on a ledge, you know?''

The full interview appears in the May issue of Harper's Bazaar, on sale April 2.