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.
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.”
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.
Source: Deadline