Lupita Nyong'o Takes us Back to Serengeti

By: Discovery

A multi-talented artist, Nyong'o gives voice to the incredible world of the Discovery series that breaks the mold of what a documentary can be.

July 03, 2020

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SERENGETI is not your average nature documentary, so naturally a very special voice was needed to tell the story. Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong'o sat down with Discovery (via Zoom) to look back on her experience as the narrator of these truly amazing animal tales.

Q: What did you enjoy most while working on Serengeti?

I find that this six-part series is quite special. And I enjoyed the entire experience. I enjoyed the intimacy that it afforded me with these animals.

Q: How did you develop your voice as the storyteller of the series?

When I think of nature documentaries, the first sound and accent that comes to my mind is a British male voice. And so, the fact that I had this opportunity and that they wanted me to be as natural as possible was very exciting.

Q: What was your favorite scene or moment to narrate?

I really loved the moments with the children. One of my favorite moments was with the baby elephant when he was learning to walk.

He keeps stumbling and there’s a levity in that, and it was an interesting moment to try and strike that—the right chord.

Q: What will you always remember about Serengeti?

The value of documentaries like the Serengeti is to remind us how close we are to the rest of nature.

This world is so big and so beautiful and worth fighting for.

Editor's Note 7/28/20

Lupita Nyong’o has been recognized with an Emmy® nomination in the Outstanding Narrator Category for her work on SERENGETI.

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