Madina Nalwanga

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Madina Nalwanga
Born (2002-02-02) February 2, 2002 (age 19)[1]
Kampala, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
Other namesQueen
OccupationActress
Years active2016–present

Madina Nalwanga (born February 2, 2002)[2] is a Ugandan actress famous for her lead role as Phiona in Disney's Queen of Katwe.[3] The film depicts the life of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan girl living in a slum in Katwe who learns to play chess and becomes a Woman Candidate Master.[4] This role earned her the Most Promising Actor award at 2017 Africa Movie Academy Awards in Lagos, Nigeria.[5] She also won an NAACP Image Award, a Women Film Critics Circle Award, and was nominated for a Critic's Choice Award.[6]

Biography[]

Madina was born in the poor Katwe neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda, and spent her childhood selling corn on the streets.[7] Nalwanga was discovered by a casting director at a community dance class in the Kabalagala neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda, a slum known for prostitution.[8][9]

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?"[10] When she watched Queen of Katwe, it was only the second time she'd been inside a movie theater.[11] She has said her young life closely mirrored that of her character Phiona in Queen of Katwe.[7] At 17 years old, Forbes named her the youngest person on their 2018 "30 Under 30" list.[12] 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.[13][14]

References[]

  1. ^ "Madina Nalwanga biography, age and lifestyle". Uzomedia TV Youtube. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  2. ^ O'Hagan, Michael (2 October 2016). "Ugandan premiere of girl's slum-to-chess-champ story". Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Ugandan Actress's Journey Mirrors That of Her 'Queen of Katwe' Character".
  4. ^ "Madina Nalwanga". Forbes. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Queen of Katwe Actress Madina Nalwanga wins an award at the African Movie Academy Awards 2017". theugandatoday.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  6. ^ "30 Under 30: Madina Nalwanga, 17". Forbes. p. 8. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  7. ^ Jump up to: 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.
  8. ^ "Ugandan Actress's Journey Mirrors That Of Her 'Queen Of Katwe' Character". NPR.org. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Unmasking Queen of Katwe's Nalwanga". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  10. ^ "David Oyelowo on Showing 'Queen of Katwe' Actress Her First Film". ABC News. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  11. ^ "How Nyong'o, Oyelowo bonded with their 'Queen of Katwe'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  12. ^ Howard, Caroline. "30 Under 30 2018: The Teenagers". Forbes. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  13. ^ Orubo, Daniel (25 September 2017). "Ugandan Kids Who Watched 'Queen Of Katwe' Performed Better In School, Says Study". Konbini Nigeria. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  14. ^ Kuo, Lily. "Ugandan students who watched "Queen of Katwe" performed better on their national exams". Quartz. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
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