Rihanna & Lupita Nyong'o to Co-Star in Buddy Heist Film
Rihanna and Lupita Nyong’o are bringing a social media craze to life.
The Grammy-winning singer and Oscar-winning actress are set to star in a buddy heist film directed by Ava DuVernay (Selma) and written by Issa Rae (“Insecure”). The yet-to-be-titled film will be a Netflix exclusive following an intense bidding war, according to EW.
The film was inspired by a photo of Rihanna and Lupita at a 2014 Miu Miu fashion show. Tumblr user Elizabitch Taylor posted the pic on her page with the caption: “They look like they’re in a heist movie with Rihanna as the tough-as-nails leader/master thief and Lupita as the genius computer hacker.” The post went viral, receiving over 470,000 notes.
Last month, Twitter user @1800sadgal tweeted a similar concept with a twist. “Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan the scans.” The latter post received 97,000 retweets and it even caught Nyong’o’s attention. “I’m down if you are @rihanna,” tweeted Lupita. RiRi’s response? “I’m in Pit’z.”
Rihanna looks like she scams rich white men and lupita is the computer smart best friend that helps plan the scans https://t.co/PhWs1xd3nj
— akame (@ebnyhottie) April 18, 2017
I'm down if you are @rihanna https://t.co/vwHBWeCbFZ
— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) April 21, 2017
I'm in Pit'z https://t.co/Kz0o3lBEmL
— Rihanna (@rihanna) April 23, 2017
Of course, fans continued to talk about the potential film on social media, encouraging Ava DuVernay and Issa Rae to get involved. “Lights set. Camera’s up. Ready to call action for these #queens.” Meanwhile, Issa showed her enthusiasm with a GIF of a cat typing on a laptop.
https://twitter.com/ava/status/856318715968634881
— Issa Rae (@IssaRae) April 23, 2017
Insiders say that Rae is already penning the story while DuVernay is looking to start production in 2018, after she finishes working on her current film, A Wrinkle in Time. It’s also unclear whether the movie will be entirely based on the social media ideas.
Earlier today, DuVernay appeared to confirm talks about the film by sharing a Twitter Moment. “We deserve nice things,” she said.
https://twitter.com/ava/status/866760624491057152
And even Ryan Phillippe wants to get in on the action. The Crash actor volunteered his services, writing, “i’m down to play the rich white men, jus sayin…”
i'm down to play the rich white men, jus sayin… https://t.co/wxClcRQtYM
— Ryan Phillippe (@RyanPhillippe) May 22, 2017
Rihanna has been bitten by the acting bug. After appearing in “Bates Motel,” she’s also set to star in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Ocean’s Eight in the next two years.