Phiona Mutesi

"We wrote the mother's part in Queen Of Katwe for Lupita because she became this meteoric star and more importantly she suited the part. We wrote the part as that of young Mother Courage, someone who had children from the age of 15," said Mira Nair

Phiona Mutesi happened upon chess as a famished nine-year-old foraging for food in the sprawling and impoverished slums of the Ugandan capital.

Sitting in a dimly lit room in the run-down Kampala suburb of Katwe, Phiona Mutesi stares fixedly at the chessboard in front of her as she ponders the next move in her improbable journey.

"We wrote the mother's part in Queen Of Katwe for Lupita because she became this meteoric star and more importantly she suited the part. We wrote the part as that of young Mother Courage, someone who had children from the age of 15," said Mira Nair

Phiona Mutesi happened upon chess as a famished nine-year-old foraging for food in the sprawling and impoverished slums of the Ugandan capital.

Sitting in a dimly lit room in the run-down Kampala suburb of Katwe, Phiona Mutesi stares fixedly at the chessboard in front of her as she ponders the next move in her improbable journey.