After waiting for what feels like forever, fans of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s critically acclaimed novel Americanah are finally getting a television adaptation. Sure, it’s not the movie we were originally promised, but perhaps the series lead, Lupita Nyong’o, is taking a page of Queen Bey’s book and giving us Adichie’s excellent prose in a way we never knew we needed.
Remember, Beyoncé gave us an experience with her 2013 self-titled release, not just an album.
The Americanah TV adaptation, which has been picked up as a 10-episode limited series by HBO Max, will star Nyong’o as the main character, Ifemelu. If that wasn’t enough #blackgirlmagic, the series pilot was adapted for the screen by Black Panther actress Danai Gurira. She will also executive produce the series. Did I mention that Gurira has a Tony for her Broadway play, Eclipsed? The level of talent on this project leaves us with no choice but to stan.
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As fans know, Americanah has been on the horizon for Nyong’o for a long time — five years, to be exact — and so far, she seems extremely satisfied with how the adaptation has turned out.
"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 in a press release. “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.”
In case you have been slipping on your current list of books to read and haven’t gotten to Americanah yet, the story follows Ifemelu, a Nigerian-born woman, through the trials and tribulations of immigrating to the US, dealing with American racism, and also trying to figure out what all of us 20-something ladies wish we could figure out: love. No word yet on who will star opposite Nyong’o as Ifemelu’s lifelong love interest, Obinze, but I wonder if Michael B. Jordan is free.
After all, it should be easy for the pair to sync up since they’re such good friends.