Actress Nikita Pearl Waligwa has passed away at the age of 15, as reported by Gayaza High School where she was in attendance.
The Ugandan school confirmed that the young actress died after battling a brain tumor.
She was best known for her first and only role in the 2016 Disney film Queen of Katwe, a true story about Ugandan girl, Phiona Mutsei, who becomes a prodigy after being introduced to the game of chess.
Waligwa played the role of Gloria and is famous for saying the quote “the small one can become the big one.”
The film also starred Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and Madina Nalwanga.
Nyong’o posted on Instagram, “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.”
Oyelowo also posted condolences, “She was a ball of light…Her light will live on.”
The school she attended also posted a tribute on Twitter.
“Fare thee well Nikita Pearl Waligwa. You were a darling to many and we have lost you to brain tumor at such a tender age…Rest in perfect peace, dear.”
