Lupita Nyong'o has a new superhero project in the works.

As reported by Deadline, the Oscar-winner and Black Panther star is partnering with tech startup Kukua to launch an African superhero kid series, Super Sema. Nyong'o, who is a shareholder in the Kukua startup (which was founded in 2015 by CEO Lucrezia Bisignani), will voice a character on the animated series, in addition to serving as an executive producer.

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Super Sema follows Sema (voiced by Stycie Waweru), a young African girl who uses her science-based super-powers to protect her home -- the "neo-Africa-futuristic community of Dunia" -- from a dangerous robotic villain. The animated series was written by Claudia Lloyd (Charlie & Lola, Mr. Bean, Tinga Tinga Tales) and directed by Lynne Southerland (Mulan II, Cinderella and the Secret Prince), the first African-American woman to helm a Disney project.

“I share Kukua’s goal to empower children through inspiring stories that feature characters in which the children see themselves reflected. I am delighted to be a part of this talented, female-led team of purposeful creators,” Nyong’o said. “As a Kenyan, I couldn’t be prouder of Super Sema’s introduction to the world and the opportunities Kukua provides for our local creative community to produce entertainment that reflects our culture.”

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Kukua’s Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Ford commented on the scarcity of Black female protagonists in television, noting “74% of characters on TV remain white and only a few portray Black female leads in [STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)]. As a Black girl growing up in North America who majored in science, I didn’t see anyone that looked like me when I watched cartoons or walked into a chemistry class.”

Following her Oscar-winning performance in 2013's 12 Years a Slave, Nyong'o played CGI supporting characters in both 2016's The Jungle Book and Disney's Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. She also played a supporting role in 2016's Queen of Katwe, a true story-inspired drama about a young Ugandan girl who discovers she has a talent for playing chess. More recently, Nyong'o earned critical acclaim for her dual roles in Jordan Peele's horror/thriller Us, in addition to portraying Nakia in Black Panther. She is expected to reprise the latter role in the upcoming Black Panther II.

Premiering as a YouTube Originals program for kids and families, Super Sema will debut its first eight episodes on March 8 (International Women's Day), with its remaining twelve episodes releasing over the weeks that follow.

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Source: Deadline