HBO Max Orders Americanah Limited Series with Lupita Nyong’o

HBO Max has given a straight-to-series order for Americanah, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, with Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Black Panther) attached to star.

Americanah is an epic story of a woman born in Nigeria who leaves for America and her extraordinary experiences with love, heartache, adversity and self-discovery. Nyong’o will star in the ten-episode limited series, with the pilot being written by showrunner Danai Gurira (Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame), who was nominated for a Tony Award for writing the Broadway show Eclipsed. The book was penned by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

“Americanah has sparked a cultural phenomenon and is revered by fans around the world. It has affected me deeply as one of the most moving, socially relevant and romantic stories of our time,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max. “With exceptional talent like Lupita and Danai in front of and behind the camera, this series will give viewers a uniquely heartfelt and unforgettable experience.”

“Through Americanah, Chimamanda brought the African female voice into mainstream consciousness in an unprecedented way. It is intellectually incisive, indicting, yet full of humor, and riddled with humanity. She makes unheard voices familiar, universal and yet palpably specific,” said Gurira. “I am honored to bring her incredible novel to life on the screen. 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.”

“Americanah has been a passion project for me since I read Chimamanda’s beautiful novel in 2013. It’s a tale that is simultaneously timely and timeless,” said Nyong’o. “HBO Max is the perfect partner to bring this profound and celebrated story to life, and I’m thrilled that Danai will bring to the project her intelligence, wit and understanding of the stories and the worlds of Americanah.”

The series will be executive produced by Gurira, Nyong’o for Eba Productions, Plan B Entertainment, Andrea Calderwood (Generation Kill) for Potboiler Television, Didi Rea and Danielle Del for D2 Productions and Nancy Won (Jessica Jones).