'12 Years A Slave' Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong’o Will Produce And Star In ‘Americanah’ After 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

Lupita Nyong'o wowed the world with her performance in 2013's 12 Years a Slave, which led to an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but the talented starlet has faced some tough casting obstacles according to numerous reports. Though she landed a coveted role in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII, work was limited for the young actress. Lupita this week decided to make her own role by announcing she'd produce and star in the movie adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Americanah.

Brad Pitt's Plan B production company, which also produced 12 Years a Slave has picked up the rights to the project.

"It is such an honor to have the opportunity to bring Ms. Adichie's brilliant book to the screen," the actress explained in a statement this week. "Page after page, I was struck by Ifemelu and Obinze's stories, whose experiences as African immigrants are so specific and also so imminently relatable. It is a thrilling challenge to tell a truly international story so full of love, humor and heart."

Usually, an actor moves into a producing role after years and years of working in the industry but it looks like Nyong'o didn't want to wait for her ideal role. From her past work and the promise of her future, it looks like we definitely have something to look forward to when Americanah hits theaters.

Here is a synopsis of the story:

Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they depart military-ruled Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America, where despite her academic success, she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time. 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. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion-for each other and for their homeland.