Oscar award winning actress Lupita Nyong’o announced on social media that she will star in a new film based on comedian and host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show,’ Trevor Noah‘s life. Nyong’o will play the role of Noah’s mother, Patricia, in the biopic which spawned from the autobiography Born a Crime that the comedian released in 2017. The actress will also have a producing role in the film.
“When I read @TrevorNoah‘s “Born A Crime,” I could not put the book down,” Nyong’o said on Instagram. “Excited to announce that I will be starring in and producing its feature film adaptation! #BornACrime”
Noah’s book centers around his experiences being born and growing up during apartheid South Africa when Blacks and Whites legally were not allowed to be together. The title of the book comes from Trevor being born to a Swiss father and an African mother during apartheid and being unable to be seen publicly with his father — otherwise his mother could be arrested for having a relationship with a White man. Eventually Noah’s mother separated from his father and the two were on their own along with Trevor’s younger brother, Issac.
The Kenyan actress is in for quite the challenge as Noah’s mother considering the experiences she had during Trevor’s childhood.
In the book, Patricia Noah had instances where she and Trevor had to run from an angry bus driver who saw Trevor’s complexion and new he was “born a crime.” She also raised Trevor alongside a host of family members in the same residence, but Trevor and his mother still maintained a tight relationship and shared several experiences together.
The comedian’s mother also dealt with an abusive relationship with the younger Noah’s father. That relationship would ultimately end with Trevor’s mother, who repeatedly reported Trevor’s step-father to the police, being shot in the head by her estranged husband but miraculously surviving. Trevor also noted in the book that she was heavily into her Christian faith and kept Trevor in church on almost a daily basis.
There are no additional details on the film’s production at this time, but seeing the Black Panther star grab another role native to her roots can be considered a huge win for the ’12 Years a Slave’ best supporting actress.
