Lupita Nyong’o is no stranger to the spellbinding nature of African storytelling. As an actress, her portrayals of formidable African women characters such as Nakku Harriet in Queen of Katwe, Nakia in Black Panther, and The Girl in Eclipsed on Broadway have afforded her wide critical acclaim including a historical feat as the first Black African woman to win an oscar. With her new podcast, Mind Your Own, she sets sight on a new medium with a similar mission of displaying the richness and diversity of African stories.
Produced by KQED’s Snap Studios and distributed by Lemonada Media, Mind Your Own calls into view real-life tales from the actress and her subjects across the African diaspora from Nairobi, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, and Lagos to Toronto and Los Angeles.
The first two episodes, which premiered last Thursday, spared no time in grasping attention. On one episode, the mexican-born, Kenyan actress recounts her discomfort in losing her accent for the American market before reclaiming her authentic voice. On another, we follow the misadventures of a grave robber in Kenya.
“I wanted to create that feeling of intimacy that, if you are African, this table is set for you; if you are not, you are invited to join and partake with us,” Nyong’o says in an interview with Elle Magazine. “The environment is a place of bounty and it’s also a place of gratitude.”
The eight remaining episodes of the 10-part series will be available weekly as the actress takes listeners on a journey to villages, cities, cemeteries, on planes, and even the red carpet to experience the joy, messiness, and complexity of Africa and Africanness.
Lupita Nyong’o is no stranger to the spellbinding nature of African storytelling. As an actress, her portrayals of formidable African women characters, such as Nakku Harriet in Queen of Katwe, Nakia in Black Panther, and the girl in Eclipsed on Broadway, have earned her wide critical acclaim, including a historical feat as the first Black African woman to win an Oscar. With her new podcast, Mind Your Own, she sets her sights on a new medium with a similar mission of showcasing the richness and diversity of African stories.
Produced by KQED’s Snap Studios and distributed by Lemonada Media, Mind Your Own features real-life tales from the actress and her subjects across the African diaspora, from Nairobi, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, and Lagos to Toronto and Los Angeles.
The first two episodes, which premiered last Thursday, quickly grabbed listeners’ attention. In one episode, the Mexican-born, Kenyan actress recounts her discomfort in losing her accent for the American market before reclaiming her authentic voice. In another, we follow the misadventures of a grave robber in Kenya.
“I wanted to create that feeling of intimacy that, if you are African, this table is set for you; if you are not, you are invited to join and partake with us,” Nyong’o says in an interview with Elle magazine. “The environment is a place of bounty and it’s also a place of gratitude.”
The eight remaining episodes of the 10-part series will be available weekly as the actress takes listeners on a journey to villages, cities, cemeteries, on planes, and even the red carpet to experience the joy, messiness, and complexity of Africa and Africanness.
