Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah is set to be adapted into a series after being green-lit by HBO Max.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Lupita Nyong’o will star as the lead character, Ifemelu as ‘The Walking Dead’ star, Danai Gurira will be directing.
HBO Max has given the limited series a 10-episode order with Gurira also writing the pilot for the award-winning novel.
‘Americanah’ tells the story of Ifemelu (Nyong’o), a young, beautiful, self-assured woman raised in Nigeria, who as a teenager falls in love with her classmate Obinze.
Living in a military-ruled country, they each depart for the west, with Ifemelu heading for America.
There, she learned that despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple for the first time with what it means to be black.
On the other hand, quiet and thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but with post-9/11 America closed to him, he instead plunges into a dangerous undocumented life in London.
Confirming the news, Lupita mentioned;
“‘Americanah’ has been a passion project for me since I read Chimamanda’s beautiful novel in 2013.
“It’s a tale that is simultaneously timely and timeless. HBO Max is the perfect partner to bring this profound and celebrated story to life.
“I’m thrilled that Danai will bring to the project her intelligence, wit, and understanding of the stories and the worlds of ‘Americanah.’”
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