Oscars 2019: Amandla Stenberg Talks Adapting The Hate U Give

Amandla Stenberg Always Stood by 'The Hate U Give' on Its Journey to the Big Screen

The Hate U Give tells the story of a high school girl named Starr, who witnesses a police officer shoot her best friend

Maria Pasquini

Published on February 24, 2019 07:30PM EST

Amandla Stenberg was absolutely committed to making sure The Hate U Give, which was published in 2017, made its way to the big screen.

Ahead of the 2019 Academy Awards, the 20-year-old actress opened up about why she stood by the project throughout its development.

“Well, the book by Angie Thomas is just one of the most powerful pieces of literature that I’ve read in terms of its power to speak to these experiences that are really highly politicized but don’t necessarily always have the humanity afforded to them that they should,” she shared with PeopleTV on the Red Carpet Live special.

The film, which was released last October, is based on the immensely popular YA novel of the same name. The story follows a high school girl named Starr, who witnesses a police officer shoot her best friend.

Be sure to check out PEOPLE’s full Oscars coverage to get the latest news on film’s biggest night.

91st Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals — Frazer Harrison/Getty

“And so that was what it was about to me. That deeply moved me when it came to being able to represent experiences of those who are actually affected by police brutality, who are actually going through generational trauma, through generational poverty, and bringing that to the screen so people can both connect to it, and relate to it,” Stenberg continued.

The actress went on to point out that even if audience members couldn’t personally relate to the film, she hoped they would be able to “understand that we are people with real lives and experiences.”

“That was the motivating force behind it — there were some bumps in the road here and there, but I think it all really started with Angie Thomas and her just having the courage to put her heart into something like that and wanting to make that a reality on screen,” she added.

Sadly, one day before the film was released, screenwriter Audrey Wells died after a long battle with cancer. She was 58.

The 91st Academy Awards are broadcasting live from Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on ABC.