Netflix To Adapt Lupita Nyong’o’s Children’s Book ‘Sulwe’

Netflix has announced a new animated musical feature based off of Academy Award-winning actress and author Lupita Nyong’o’s #1 New York Times bestselling book, Sulwe.

The animated musical will be produced by Nyong’o. Sulwe is the story of a girl who has skin the color of midnight and is visited by a shooting star that leads her on a magical journey, where she learns about the “eye-opening story of her sisters of Night and Day,” a press release obtained by BET.com states.

Sulwe’s story addresses the stigma about colorism, issues with self-esteem, and discovering that true beauty comes from the inside not the outside.

RELATED: Lupita Nyong’o Narrates Her Award-Winning Kids Book ‘Sulwe’

“The story of Sulwe is one that is very close to my heart. Growing up, I was uncomfortable in my dark skin. I rarely saw anyone who looked like me in the aspirational pages of books and magazines, or even on TV. It was a long journey for me to arrive at self-love,” Nyong’o, who is of Kenyan and Mexican background, tells Netflix.

She notes that Sulwe is not only a mirror for darker-skinned children to see themselves but also serves a space for those unfamiliar with colorism to leave with a deeper understanding that comes from a place of empathy.

“I am thrilled that the book is being adapted into an animated musical that we hope inspires children all around the world to celebrate their uniqueness,” she continued.