HBO Max has ordered the limited series Americanah from Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira.
The 10-episode drama will reunite the Black Panther actresses, with Nyong’o starring and Gurira writing the pilot and serving as showrunner, Variety reported Friday.
Americanah is based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best-selling novel by the same name.
Per HBO Max, the series tells the story of Ifemelu (Nyong’o), a young 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, where, despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple for the first time with what it means to be black. 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.
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“Americanah has been a passion project for me since I read Chimamanda’s beautiful novel in 2013,” Nyong’o said in a statement.
“I’m thrilled to collaborate once again with Lupita who brings her astounding ability as a performer and producer shepherding this project, along with HBO MAX’s unbridled enthusiasm to bring this groundbreaking narrative to the TV audience,” added Gurira.
The series will be executive produced by Gurira and Nyong’o, with Nyong’o producing under her Eba Productions company. Also producing are Plan B Entertainment, Andrea Calderwood for Potboiler Television, Didi Rea and Danielle Del for D2 Productions, and Nancy Won.
HBO Max, a WarnerMedia streaming service, is slated to launch in spring 2020.
