Queen of katwe is a 2016 american biographical drama feature film directed by mira nair and written by william wheeler. May 10, 2016 the vivid first trailer for disneys queen of katwe is here. The film is based on a true story about a girl whose life was changed by chess. This is an underdog sports movie about phionas journey to becoming a chess prodigy, one you would instantly want to take the next child you know. Disney presents queen of katwe, a movie based on a vibrant true story starring lupita nyongo and david oyelowo, and directed by mira nair. Starring david oyelowo, lupita nyongo, and madina nalwanga, the film depicts the life of phiona mutesi, a girl living in katwe, a slum of kampala, the capital of uganda. Nakita pearl waligwa, the ugandan actress who starred in the 2016 disney movie queen of katwe, has died. Sep 23, 2016 queen of katwe follows the journey of a girl from poor township in uganda to becoming a champion chess player. It matters because it is a serious, highquality drama adults can fully appreciate. The film explores some serious issues like poverty, but manages to maintain.
Lupita nyongo and david oyelowo star in a movie about lifeand chess. Queen of katwe is a feelgood movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by lupita nyongo and david oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches. Queen of katwe makes moves on a ugandan chessboard the. In her new movie, queen of katwe, lupita nyongo brings her talent and brilliance to a story from her native east africa. As mutesis classmate informs her during an early lesson, in chess, the small one can become the big one.
The kids started calling her mom right away, and they still do. Lupitas homecoming has also involved a lot of mentorship work with girls and young women in nairobi and in her home town in kisumu. How nalwanga got the starring role in queen of katwe duration. Current vogue cover subject nyongo sat down with while in washington, d. The walt disney drama, a truelife biopic about a ugandan chess champion, didn. She learns to play chess and becomes a woman candidate master after her victories at world chess olympiads. Sep 22, 2016 queen of katwe matters for many reasons. Interview with the stunning lupita nyongo for disneys queen. The inside story behind disneys radical queen of katwe.
Exclusive cast and director interview lupita nyongo and david oyelowo talk about the inspiring experience of filming their new movie, queen of katwe. A ugandan girls life changes forever when she discovers she has an amazing talent for chess in this celebration of the human spirit. Sep 23, 2016 queen of katwe was filmed in english, but that isnt madina nalwangas first language. Queen of katwe 2016 movie queen of katwe is an upcoming biographical drama, scheduled to be released on september 23, 2016. Lupita nyongo finds her strength in queen of katwe video. Queen of katwe was a major outlier on disneys marvel, star wars, and c. Ugandan actresss journey mirrors that of her queen of katwe. Toronto the second time madina nalwanga saw a film inside a theater, she was the star of it. Disneys ragstoriches tale of a ugandan chess champion will leave you with a lump in your throat. Queen of katwe star lupita nyongo interview duration. David oyelowo, now starring in queen of katwe, talks oscars and diversity with costar lupita nyongo. Sep 21, 2016 this is the question that phiona mutesi played by newcomer madina nalwanga asks her mother, harriet oscar winner lupita nyongo, in disneys new feature queen of katwe, which tells the true story of a young girl from the streets of kampala, uganda, whose world opens up and changes rapidly through the game of chess. Sep 21, 2016 toronto the second time madina nalwanga saw a film inside a theater, she was the star of it.
Sep 26, 2016 for mutesi, a ugandan girl who sells corn on the streets of her rural town of katwe to help support her family, which includes her single mother played by lupita nyongo, a sister, and two brothers, chess plays an integral part in changing her fate. Queen of katwe was filmed in english, but that isnt madina nalwangas first language. Queen of katwe follows the journey of a girl from poor township in uganda to becoming a champion chess player. Lupita nyongo inspires in queen of katwe guideposts. Actor david oyelowo, chess coach robert katende, actress lupita nyongo and chess prodigy phiona mutesi at the screening of queen of katwe at the newseum. With madina nalwanga, david oyelowo, lupita nyongo, martin kabanza. This biopic of ugandan chess prodigy phiona mutesi madina nalwanga traces her journey from the kampala slum of katwe, where she is forced to abandon her formal schooling at the age of nine, to the upper echelons of the chess world after she develops an interest in the game at a youthoutreach program run by robert katende david oyelowo. The inside story behind disneys radical queen of katwe wired.
The disney sports drama ends with a sequence in which each major and supporting player poses for the camera with the person on whom his or her character was based. Disney has unveiled the first image from the queen of katwe, the biographical drama about a ugandan chess prodigy starring lupita nyongo, david oyelowo, and newcomer madina nalwanga. Nair, nyongo, oyelowo, and newcomer madina nalwanga, who plays phiona, all spent time with their. Queen of katwe is based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the. Born in mexico city and raised in africa, she would become the first kenyan and the first mexican actress to win an oscar after being honored for her supporting role. Sep 28, 2016 oscarwinner lupita nyongo can do anything, from playing a 15yearold on broadway to the mom of a 15yearold in queen of katwe. Academy awardwinner lupita nyongo was so inspired by the story of her new film, queen of katwe, she said yes to the role before she finished reading the script. Lupita nyongo and david oyelowo, especially, put in great performances. Sep 12, 2016 david oyelowo, now starring in queen of katwe, talks oscars and diversity with costar lupita nyongo.
The vivid first trailer for disneys queen of katwe is here. Sep 11, 2016 center, from left, madina nalwanga, lupita nyongo and david oyelowo in mira nairs queen of katwe. How nyongo, oyelowo bonded with their queen of katwe. Its a mustread for any chess player, woman, athlete, or frankly anyone who knows any of the previous three, aka everyone. Nyongo spoke passionately about filming in uganda saying, first of all, i am from east africa. Lupita says that madina taught her how to cook, and that it was the perfect ice breaker when they first met. Queen of katwe image courtesy of walt disney in holdover news, the big expansion this weekend was queen of katwe. Sep 15, 2016 in her new movie, queen of katwe, lupita nyongo brings her talent and brilliance to a story from her native east africa.
Lupita nyongo is always on the queenside the undefeated. Queen of katwes focus on its supporting characters is key. Queen of katwe stars lupita nyongo and david oyelowo. She worked extremely hard, costar lupita nyongo says, and i think her discipline as a dancer came in. When lupita first met the kids, madina and martin, they were like instant family. To celebrate, she takes vogueand the most glorious prints of the.
Ugandan actresss journey mirrors that of her queen of. Queen of katwe sends a powerful message about changing our. Queen of katwe is based on the true story of a nine yearold ugandan girl, phiona, who rose from living in poverty in a neighborhood called katwe to become an international chess prodigy. Queen of katwe is another masterpiece by mira niar. Center, from left, madina nalwanga, lupita nyongo and david oyelowo in mira nairs queen of katwe. Interview with lupita nyongo for disneys queen of katwe. Oscarwinner lupita nyongo can do anything, from playing a 15yearold on broadway to the mom of a 15yearold in queen of katwe. It is replete with beauty at every corner of protagonist phionas life in the slums. Queen of katwe was shot over a couple of months in uganda and south africa. Such is the case in disneys upcoming film, queen of katwe. Lupita nyongo was all but unknown three years ago when she gave an emotionally charged performance in her feature debut as the brutalized patsey in 20s 12 years a slave. Queen of katwe is based on one of those extraordinary true stories that no fiction writer would every have the audacity to make up. The queen of katwe is one of the most inspiring, thoughtprovoking, humbling books ive ever read.
Lupita nyongo and david oyelowo star in mira nairs factbased drama about a young chess prodigy in uganda. David oyelowo and lupita nyongo star with newcomer madina nalwanga in queen of katwe, mira nairs biopic of a ugandan chess prodigy. Lupita nyongo finds her strength in queen of katwe. Queen of katwe sends a powerful message about changing our destiny. Interview with the stunning lupita nyongo for disneys. May 10, 2016 queen of katwe was a major outlier on disneys marvel, star wars, and c. Queen of katwe shows lupita nyongo like we havent seen her. Sep 30, 2016 queen of katwe is a heavyhanded variation of the disney inspirational sports drama formula, but a sincere and wellmeaning one too queen of katwe tells the true story of phiona mutesi madina nalwanga who as a young girl grew up in katwe, an impoverished region of kampala, ugandas capital city. Queen of katwe tells the story of a young girl from uganda who trains to become a world chess champion. A ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess. Sep 27, 2016 queen of katwe isnt interested in offering an easily digestible account of mutesis life, a fact that might help explain the films hefty 124minute running time. Lupita nyongo is mourning her 15yearold queen of katwe costar, nikita pearl waligwa, who died over the weekend in uganda waligwa appeared in the 2016 disney film about a local chess. Queen of katwe shows lupita nyongo like we havent seen. Disney presents queen of katwe, a movie based on a vibrant true story starring lupita nyongo and david oyelowo.
Queen of katwe is a heavyhanded variation of the disney inspirational sports drama formula, but a sincere and wellmeaning one too queen of katwe tells the true story of phiona mutesi madina nalwanga who as a young girl grew up in katwe, an impoverished region of kampala, ugandas capital city. She worked extremely hard, costar lupita nyongo says, and i. The 15yearold had been diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2016. Woven into the tale of phionas ascent is the belief that community is indispensable. It matters because its an excellent film with strong performances. A ugandan girls life changes forever when she discovers she has an amazing talent for chess, in this celebration of the human spirit. Lupita nyongo talks the jungle book on gma duration. Lupita nyongo breaks new ground in queen of katwe hwd daily from the awards race to the box office, with everything in between. Lupita nyongo and the inspiration behind queen of katwe d23.
Queen of katwe sends a powerful message about changing. David oyelowo and lupita nyongo talk oscars diversity. Queen of katwe is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of. Queen of katwe, featuring three powerful central performances from madina nalwanga as the young prodigy, lupita nyongo as her mother, and david oyelowo as her chess coach, is adapted by william. Jul 07, 2015 queen of katwe tells the story of a young girl from uganda who trains to become a world chess champion. Sep 21, 2016 i think of harriet as a young mother courage, nair has observed, and that is the strength and beauty that is in lupita. Lupita nyongo on queen of katwe and being raised in. Sep 19, 2016 queen of katwe star lupita nyongo interview duration. It features lupita nyongo and david oyelowo and newcomer madina nalwanga.
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