It’s been reported that Lupita Nyong’o was in talks to star in a new Disney film called The Queen of Katwe. The film follows a Ugandan chess prodigy, played by Madina Nalwanga.
The film, directed by Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, a woman, is based on the Tim Crothers’ book, expanded from his 2013 ESPN Magazine article.
Nalwanga, plays the film’s lead character Phiona Mutsei, a young teenaged girl from the slumps of Kampala who pursues her dream of becoming an international chess champion, despite not even knowing how to read at the time.
Nyong’o plays Phiona’s mother. David Oyelowo, who also stars in the movie, plays the missionary man who teaches the children in Kampala to play chess.
The film was shot on location in Uganda. For Nyong’o, the location was a welcome choice.
“It was so great to go back home,” the actress said at D23 Expo in August. “I’m from East Africa. I’m from Kenya, which is just next door to Uganda.”
She continued: “This is a story about the commitment to a dream even in the most discouraging of situations. The slum of Katwe is a very difficult place to live, but you see these people living there with dignity and making it day by day. And so to go there and to have that environment to work from really did sober us and enliven us.”
Despite murmurings that Lupita is not getting enough work, this is her second Disney film as she will also be starring in the 2015 revamp of The Jungle Book. She also appeared in the recent blockbuster, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That movie was so successful, it beat out Avatar as the highest grossing film of all time in North America.
Check out the recently released image below.
Lupita Lupita muuuuaahh… tell your haters to #LeaveTrashForLawma
How is she your home girl?
Why did you not call David Oyelowo your home boy?
She is black, from Africa, is proud to tell everyone that she is African and most importantly this piece is abt her, not David oyelowo, who am also a huge fan of by the way.
That doesn’t make her ur ‘home girl’ still. Continent girl is more like it. *smirks*
Lol. Delle na u sabi.
I wish she’d do better though. I’m one of those who wish I can see her in less supporting roles on the silver screen.
I love this babe! She has been around Hollywood long enough to know the kind of stories to take part in. She just doesn’t take on any roles, she is very strategic and takes on roles from strong culturally relevant stories or movies with a huge influence on pop culture!
Abeg she get igbo girl blood!
Lol…Igbo girl blood! See DM claiming relationship o
I love Lupita, l love David Oyelowo *in Brad Pitt’s voice*, I love Uganda (pukes)…let’s see how the film comes on…
Our home girl is doing well for herself in Hollywood.
Actually, this is her third disney movie. Star wars, Jungle book and now this. She is indeed doing well for herself