Lupita Nyong'o is thrilled she gets to be a ''space cadet'' in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.

The 32-year-old actress portrays Maz Kanata - a pirate and galactic traveller - in the highly anticipated sci-fi sequel and admits she always dreamed of space when she was a kid.

Speaking to the Metro newspaper, she said: ''I am super excited to be moving to another planet for a while. As a child, I was always interested in make-believe. I was known to hide in closets and play with dolls while other kids were outside riding bikes.''

She added: ''My mother used to call me a space cadet. Now I ostensibly get to be one.''

The '12 Years a Slave' star cannot reveal any details about the movie's plot or whether she will be a follower of the Dark Side or a force for good in the film.

Lupita did admit though that even though she is now an Oscar winner her feet have remained firmly planted on the ground.

She said: ''Fame didn't mean anything to me until I got the Oscar nomination. That's when it became real. Now I feel I'm in a place of privilege. It's an important place, considering how the media consciously and subconsciously affects how we feel about ourselves.''

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' features cast members from the original series such as Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker alongside newcomers Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver and Domhnall Gleeson.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' - directed by J. J. Abrams - will be released this December.