Books, News, Television, Women Writers

Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira Teaming Up for “Americanah” TV Adaptation

Gurira and Nyong’o in “Black Panther”: Disney/Marvel Studios

The long-gestating screen adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Americanah” is moving forward. Nearly four years after Lupita Nyong’o first optioned the heartbreaking novel about love, race, and identity, Konbini confirms that the Oscar winner and her “Black Panther” co-star Danai Gurira are bringing “Americanah” to the small screen as a miniseries. Nyong’o will take on the role of Ifemelu, the novel’s protagonist, and Gurira will write the adaptation.

“Americanah” follows Ifemelu as she grows up in Nigeria, travels to the United States to attend college, builds her writing career, and returns home as an adult. Throughout her journey she grapples with questions of race and culture, and maintains an intense connection to her first love, Obinze.

The “Americanah” adaptation will mark Nyong’o and Gurira’s third collaboration. The duo can currently be seen as Nakia and Okoye, respectively, in box office smash “Black Panther.” Previously, Nyong’o toplined Gurira’s play “Eclipsed,” a drama about four women held as sexual slaves by a warlord during the Liberian civil war.

No word on a director or release date for the “Americanah” miniseries yet.

It was recently announced that Nyong’o will topline and produce a film adaptation of Trevor Noah’s memoir, “Born a Crime.” She’ll portray Noah’s mother, a woman forced to hide her mixed-race son due to South Africa’s apartheid rule. The “Star Wars” franchise, “Queen of Katwe,” and “The Jungle Book” are among her other credits. Nyong’o is also working on a children’s book, “Sulwe.” Set to be published next year, it follows a young Kenyan girl who wants to lighten her dark complexion and eventually learns that beauty is not a specific standard, but is instead all-encompassing and much more than a physical construct.

Gurira, one of Essence’s 2018 Black Women in Hollywood Award honorees, has starred as the badass Michonne on “The Walking Dead” since 2012. Her screen credits include “Treme” and “Mother George,” and she’s written plays “In the Continuum,” “The Convert,” and “Familiar.” “Eclipsed” received six Tony nominations in 2016.


Teaser Watch: Blake Lively Disappears and Anna Kendrick Vows to Find Her in “A Simple Favor”

Another addictive mystery is moving from bookshelves to the big screen. Following in the footsteps of page-turners such as “Gone Girl” and “Girl on the Train” is “A Simple Favor,” Darcey...

Liz Garbus Directing Docuseries Adaptation of Michelle McNamara’s Golden State Killer Book

Liz Garbus is taking on the Golden State Killer for her next project. Per a press release, the documentarian is helming an HBO docuseries based on Michelle McNamara’s best-selling book “I’ll...

Limited Series About Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O’Connor Is in Development

Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be the subject of yet another project — but this time she’ll be joined by fellow trailblazing female Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Variety confirms...

Posts Search

Publishing Dates
Start date
- select start date -
End date
- select end date -
Category
News
Films
Interviews
Features
Trailers
Festivals
Television
RESET