Actress and activist Amandla Stenberg is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s sought young stars. Along with a slew of other projects in development, the young actress has nabbed the lead role in Darkest Mind, Fox’s adaptation of the YA trilogy by Alexandra Bracken.
The young adult sci-fi series will see Stenberg play the story’s protagonist Ruby Daley, a 16-year-old psychic with telekinetic powers. In Darkest Minds, a pandemic kills America’s children and teenagers. Those who survive, evolve and develop various superpowers. Due to their mysterious powers, the authorities see them as a potential threat and see that they be contained in an internment camp.
Best known for her work on the animated film Kung Fu Panda, Jennifer Yuh Nelson makes her live-action directorial debut with the teen sci-fi project that is being produced by Shawn Levy and his 21 Laps Banner.
This project marks Stenberg’s second lead role in a YA adaptation. In July, it was announced that the former Hunger Games actress would star in MGM’s adaptation of the Nicola Yoon novel Everything, Everything. The story details the bourgeoning romance between Maddy (Stenberg), a teen who’s diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency (which means she’s allergic to everything), and Olly, portrayed by Jurassic Park’s Nick Robinson, a boy who moves next door to the home Maddy has restricted herself in for 17 years.
Since her captivating role as the beloved Rue in the first installment of Hunger Games, Stenberg has been steadily working to claim her spot as a well-respected actress. Early 2016, Stenberg starred in the teen-angst drama indie film As You Are, which was awarded the special jury prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. She’s also set to star in the forthcoming film entitled, The Hate U Give, based on the debut novel by Angela Thomas inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. Aside from her acting roles, Stenberg has ventured into the comic book realm, creating her own comic book series, Niobe.
