Lupita Nyong’o Set To Narrate Upcoming Discovery Series Serengeti
New Series From Emmy® Winners Simon Fuller and John Downer Set to Premiere Later This Year on Discovery Channel
Los Angeles, CA – Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has signed on to narrate the anticipated series from award-winning creator and producer Simon Fuller and directed by Emmy® winning director and producer John Downer, SERENGETI. With unrivaled access to one of the most pristine and unspoiled corners of the African plains, this innovative six-part series tells the heartwarming stories of a cast of African wildlife over the course of a year that showcase the dramatic moments that make each day of survival on the Serengeti a feat. Nyong’o will narrate the series for Discovery Channel in the U.S.
“Simon and John have created a stunning and unique testament to a place that I have always loved,” explains Nyong’o. “These beautiful creatures’ stories are universal, and I am honored to help take the audience on their journey.”
“Lupita brings pure magic to Serengeti, her sensitivity and passion for nature shines through in every word she speaks. We are so proud to be working with such an extraordinary artist on this show that means so much to us,” says Fuller.
“We are thrilled and honored to have Lupita join this revolutionary new project from Simon and John,” states Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual. “Her voice is sure to transport viewers to the plains of Serengeti highlighting their stories for generations.
Fuller and Downer have worked together on Serengeti for several years; their team employed innovative filming techniques in some of Africa’s most treasured regions painting the ultimate portrait of survival in SERENGETI. Set to the backdrop of original music, this television experience combines Africa’s unimaginable beauty with its equally unforgiving brutality, highlighting daily challenges of life on the Serengeti – such as a lioness trying to provide for her small cubs after being exiled from her pride – and witness firsthand how the animal experience isn’t so different from our own. This series will premiere later this year on Discovery Channel.
This landmark series is a co-presentation between Discovery and BBC, internationally distributed by BBC Studios. It is created by Fuller and executive produced by EMMY® award winners John Downer and Fuller. It is directed by John Downer.
SERENGETI is made by XIX Entertainment and John Downer Productions and was commissioned for BBC TV by Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 88.3 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the peoples, places, and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
About Discovery
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery’s portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, and Science Channel, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit https://corporate.discovery.com/ and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.
About XIX Entertainment
XIX Entertainment has a proven track record in hit format innovation, star talent and high-value brand partnerships. The business is owned by American Idol creator Simon Fuller, whose background includes award-winning ventures with The Spice Girls, David Beckham & Victoria Beckham, Abba, Sir Michael Caine, Amy Winehouse and others.
About John Downer Productions
John Downer Productions made its name by abandoning the traditional style of nature documentary and pioneering a new subjective approach. By developing and deploying new filming techniques it immerses the audience into the emotional lives of animals in ways that have never been seen before. It has won numerous international awards for this innovative approach to wildlife filmmaking. Recent acclaimed productions include Earthflight and Spy in the Wild.