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Uganda's Queen of Katwe star Nikita Pearl Waligwa dies aged 15 – BBC News, BBC News

Uganda's Queen of Katwe star Nikita Pearl Waligwa dies aged 15 – BBC News, BBC News
        

                                 Nikita Pearl Waligwa Image copyright                   Disney                                                        
Image caption                                      Nikita Pearl Waligwa played Gloria, a friend of the protagonist Phiona, who explained the rules of chess                              

An actress who starred in the Queen of Katwe, a Disney film about a chess prodigy from a Ugandan slum, has died aged , Ugandan media report.

Nikita Pearl Waligwa had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

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The 2017 film was based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, who took up chess aged nine despite not being in school and went on to compete in international tournaments.

It starred Lupita Nyong’o as her mother and David Oyelowo as her chess teacher.

            

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Media caption Lupita Nyong’o talks about her role in the Queen of Katwe

Waligwa played the role of Gloria, a friend of Phiona who explained the rules of chess to her.

She was first diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2019 and Queen of Katwe director Mira Nair reportedly mobilized people to help fund her treatment in India, with Ugandan doctors quoted as saying they did not have the necessary equipment .

She was given the all-clear in 2019 But last year was found to have another tumor.

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