Americanah, a book by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie, is getting adapted on the big screen in the form of a limited series on HBO Max, a forthcoming streaming platform from WarnerMedia.
Actress Danai Gurira (Black Panther) will executive produce and write the script which tells the story of Ifemelu (played by Lupita Nyong’o), a young, self-assured woman in Nigeria, who as a teen falls for her fellow classmate Obinze (Doctor Sleep actor Zackary Momoh).
The official synopsis of the series reads:
“Living in a military-ruled country, they each depart for the west. Ifemelu heads for America, where she finds academic success but is forced to grapple for the first time with what it means to be black, according to the film’s official description. Quiet, thoughtful 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. A highly lauded tale that has become a leader in the cultural conversation, ‘Americanah’ is an incredible exploration of the human experience that crosses three continents to give an empathetic, compelling view of the complex realities of race, politics, immigration, and identity.”
Americanah will come in 10 episodes and Gurira will act as one of its showrunners along with Nyong’o for Eba Productions, Plan B Entertainment, Potboiler Television, and D2 Productions.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a writer who has written books ranging from novels to short stories to non-fiction. She has been described as the “most prominent” among the list of critically acclaimed young writers attracting a new generation of readers to African literature.
Her novels include Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and Americanah.
