Madina Nalwanga

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]

Madina Nalwanga
Born (2002-03-15) March 15, 2002
Kampala, Uganda
Other namesQueen
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
OccupationActress
Years active2016–present
AwardsMost Promising Actor award at 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards

Biography

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.[6][7]

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?"[8] When she watched Queen of Katwe, it was only the second time she'd been inside a movie theater.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11][12]

References
  1. "Ugandan Actress's Journey Mirrors That of Her 'Queen of Katwe' Character".
  2. "Madina Nalwanga". Forbes. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. "Queen of Katwe Actress Madina Nalwanga wins an award at the African Movie Academy Awards 2017". theugandatoday.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  4. "30 Under 30: Madina Nalwanga, 17". Forbes. p. 8. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  5. "In Mira Nairs Chess Tale 'Queen Of Katwe,' 16-Year-Old Madina Nalwanga Makes All The Right Moves". Essence.com. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  6. "Ugandan Actress's Journey Mirrors That Of Her 'Queen Of Katwe' Character". NPR.org. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  7. "Unmasking Queen of Katwe's Nalwanga". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  8. "David Oyelowo on Showing 'Queen of Katwe' Actress Her First Film". ABC News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  9. "How Nyong'o, Oyelowo bonded with their 'Queen of Katwe'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  10. Howard, Caroline. "30 Under 30 2018: The Teenagers". Forbes. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  11. Orubo, Daniel (25 September 2017). "Ugandan Kids Who Watched 'Queen Of Katwe' Performed Better In School, Says Study". Konbini Nigeria. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  12. Kuo, Lily. "Ugandan students who watched "Queen of Katwe" performed better on their national exams". Quartz. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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