We are about to see a stellar collaboration between two premium TV producers. It was announced recently that Starz and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will be carrying on with their ongoing partnership via an Africa-themed project of a 17th-century warrior queen.
Starz and Lionsgate TV are creating “Queen Nzinga“, a screen depiction of an innocent princess in 17th century Angola who becomes a fearless warrior queen to wage a 40-year guerrilla war against the kingdom’s enemies and the mighty enslavement of her people by Portuguese slavers, according to Hollywood Reporter.
Yetide Badaki (American Gods) will play Nzinga, and the film will be executive produced by Mo Abudu, 50 Cent, and Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil).
Speaking on her commitment to the project, Yetide Badaki told The Hollywood Reporter,
It has been a long-held dream of mine to bring the story of Nzinga to the screen. Her courage, determination and passion resonated from the moment I laid eyes on historical depictions of the legendary queen. I am thrilled by Starz’s continued commitment to much-needed stories about and by historically excluded voices and the deeply talented team being built to share this epic narrative with the world.
Mo Abudu once again reiterated her drive for telling the African story when she said, “The continent of Africa has a treasure trove of stories that are yet to be told. Queen Nzinga is a story that I have wanted to tell for a long time, so when EbonyLife Studios finally found a home for this project at Starz and Lionsgate, it was a dream come true. We are happy to be at the forefront of forging these new partnerships with such an incredible team of creatives because it is truly about sharing our local stories with a global audience — stories that are historical, authentic and progressive.”
She also made the news on her Instagram page, saying that the project is special to her since it coincides with the launch of EBONYLIFE USA LLC in Los Angeles.
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