Madina Nalwanga
Madina Nalwanga | |
---|---|
Born | Kampala, Uganda | March 15, 2002
Other names | Queen |
Alma mater | Grand Valley State University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2016–present |
Awards | Most Promising Actor award at 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards |
Madina Nalwanga (born March 15, 2002) is a Ugandan actress known for her lead role as Phiona Mutesi in Queen of Katwe (2016).[1] The film depicts the life of Mutesi, a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master.[2] This role earned her the Most Promising Actor award at 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards in Lagos, Nigeria.[3] She also won an NAACP Image Award, a Women Film Critics Circle Award, and was nominated for a Critic's Choice Award.[4]
Biography
[edit]Madina was born in the poor Katwe neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda, and spent her childhood selling corn on the streets.[5] Nalwanga was discovered by a casting director at a community dance class in the Kabalagala neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda, a slum known for prostitution.[1][6]
During the filming of Queen of Katwe, David Oyelowo took Nalwanga to see Jurassic World with other kids from the set, and discovered she'd never seen a movie when she asked, "Is that what we are doing?"[7] When she watched Queen of Katwe, it was only the second time she'd been inside a movie theater.[8] She has said her young life closely mirrored that of her character Phiona in Queen of Katwe.[5] At 17 years old, Forbes named her the youngest person on their 2018 "30 Under 30" list.[9] According to a University of Oxford study from their department of Economics, students in Uganda who watched Queen of Katwe before taking their national exams received better grades than those who didn't.[10][11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Ugandan Actress's Journey Mirrors That of Her 'Queen of Katwe' Character". NPR. 23 September 2016. Archived from the original on 24 September 2016.
- ^ "Madina Nalwanga". Forbes. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- ^ "Queen of Katwe Actress Madina Nalwanga wins an award at the African Movie Academy Awards 2017". Uganda Today. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ Barton, Merrilee (14 November 2017). "2018 30 Under 30: Youngest". Forbes. p. 8. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ a b "In Mira Nairs Chess Tale 'Queen Of Katwe,' 16-Year-Old Madina Nalwanga Makes All The Right Moves". Essence.com. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ "Unmasking Queen of Katwe's Nalwanga". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ "David Oyelowo on Showing 'Queen of Katwe' Actress Her First Film". ABC News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ "How Nyong'o, Oyelowo bonded with their 'Queen of Katwe'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Howard, Caroline. "30 Under 30 2018: The Teenagers". Forbes. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Orubo, Daniel (25 September 2017). "Ugandan Kids Who Watched 'Queen Of Katwe' Performed Better In School, Says Study". Konbini Nigeria. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
- ^ Kuo, Lily. "Ugandan students who watched "Queen of Katwe" performed better on their national exams". Quartz. Retrieved 5 March 2018.