Nikita Pearl Waligwa is dead. Waligwa died after succumbing to a brain tumour on Saturday

She is known for her role in the Disney film, Queen of Katwe, which tells the story a chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi who went from living in the slums to playing chess at the international stage. It is a film based on a true story, and it features Lupita Nyong’o. Nikita played the main character’s friend Gloria in the film

Waligwa died after succumbing to a brain tumour on Saturday.

Lupita Nyong’o  mourned her death through an Instagram post saying that, “It is with great sadness that I post about the passing of Nikita Waligwa, the sweet, warm, talented girl whom I worked with on the film, Queen Of Katwe. She played Gloria with such vibrancy. In her real life, she had the enormous challenge of battling brain cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and community as they come to terms with having to say goodbye so soon. May she truly rest in peace. May it be well with her soul.”

Waligwa was 15 years old.