After winning that Academy Award, there’s no character Lupita Nyong’o can’t play. At this point, she probably picks and chooses which films to star in.
Her latest, Queen of Katwe, is based on a true story and finds Nyong’o in the role of a mother in the Uganda slums. Struggling to provide for her children, her young daughter Phiona finds a knack for playing chess thanks to a missionary, who trains her to be the best in her country. Not only does he nurture her talent, but he teaches her that the game can be compared to all aspects of life. Of course, the family’s dream is to get out of Katwe and make a better life for themselves, but the mother wants her daughter to keep things realistic without letting her dreams crush her if they’re not achieved. It’s a Disney movie, though. You know she’s going to make it.
The Mira Nair–directed film is due out in theaters on September 23.