Queen of Katwe will chronicle the life of Phiona Mutesi, a chess prodigy who’s been slaying competitors left and right for the past 10 years. Nyong’o has been cast as her mother and David Oyelowo is playing Mutesi’s coach.
Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o is currently in Uganda shooting a new movie, Queen of Katwe, produced by Disney and directed by Mira Nair.
Queen of Katwe tells the story of Phiona Mutesi, a 19-year-old chess prodigy from a poor neighborhood in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
Mutesi’s background is one of both struggle and triumph that is sure to give you all the girl power feels.
Phiona Mutesi, 18, at left, killing it.
Isaac Kasamani / Getty Images
In 1999, when Mutesi was a toddler, her father died of AIDS, and her family struggled to make ends meet after his death.
The Guardian reported that Mutesi was first introduced to the game in 2005, when she made regular visits to the local church, which invited children to learn to play chess in exchange for a serving of porridge. There, she met Robert Katende, who would become her coach and mentor as she ascended the ranks of prestigious chess competitions.
Isaac Kasamani / Getty Images
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