Kelly Marie Tran to star in biopic about Nobel-nominated activist Amanda Nguyen

Kelly Marie Tran will be juggling acting and producing in a biopic about her friend: civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen.

Tran, who is best known for her work in the “Star Wars” franchise and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” will star as Nguyen in a story about her journey as a survivor of sexual assualt while attending Harvard University and then a civil rights activist for survivor’s rights, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“Over the years, Amanda’s activism has changed the lives of billions, as she continues to make our world safer for sexual assault survivors everywhere. Her courage inspires me every day, and I am honored to help tell her story” Tran said.

The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize nominee drafted a Survivors' Bill of Rights, which inspired a federal law passed in 2016. She also founded a civil rights accelerator organization called Rise. This month, Nguyen attended a United Nations session where the general assembly adopted a resolution addressing justice for survivors of sexual assault, which Rise helped to trailblaze.

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Tang Yi, whose short film “All the Crows in the World” won the Palme d’Or last year at Cannes, is in talks to direct and write the biopic. BAFTA-nominated Nina Yang Bongiovi of Significant Productions and Nguyen herself will help produce as well.

Ngyuen said in a statement about the project:

“I am deeply grateful to Kelly Marie Tran, Madica Productions and Significant Productions for telling not only my story, but also the story of billions of survivors across the world who are fighting to have our voices heard and our rights recognized. Stories are how we tell ourselves dreams are possible. Societal stigma silences rape survivors. My story is not mine alone. I hear from countless survivors the strength they gain from hearing other survivors share their story. My hope is that this will make them feel less alone. I am grateful to Kelly for her friendship, for her understanding of our shared Vietnamese American heritage and for her belief that this is a story worth telling.”

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Feature Image via @TheAVClub

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