Lena Waithe

Lena Waithe (born May 17, 1984)[1][2] is an American screenwriter, producer, and actress. She starred in the Netflix comedy-drama series Master of None (2015–2017). She became the first black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2017 for writing the show's "Thanksgiving" episode, which was loosely based on her personal experience of coming out to her mother.

Lena Waithe
Waithe at the 2018 WonderCon
Born (1984-05-17) May 17, 1984
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materColumbia College Chicago
Occupation
  • Screenwriter
  • producer
  • actress
Years active2007–present
Spouse(s)
Alana Mayo
​
​
(m. 2019; sep. 2020)​

Waithe is also the creator of the Showtime drama series The Chi (2018–present), Boomerang (2019–present), and Twenties (2020–present). She appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2018 adventure film Ready Player One, and in 2019 wrote and produced the crime film Queen & Slim. In 2020, she starred in a recurring role on the HBO series Westworld.

Waithe was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018.[3]

Early life and education

Waithe was born in Chicago, Illinois.[4][5] Though acting was not originally among Waithe's ambitions,[6][7] she knew from the age of seven that she wanted to be a television writer and received strong family support for her writing from her single mother and grandmother:[8] Her parents had divorced when she was three; Waithe's father died when she was fourteen.[9] Waithe and her sister grew up on the South Side of Chicago until Waithe was age twelve; she attended a local, mostly African-American elementary magnet school, Turner-Drew,[10] but moved to Evanston and finished middle school at Chute Middle School.[11] She graduated from Evanston Township High School and earned a degree in Cinema and Television Arts[12] from Columbia College Chicago in 2006,[13][7][14] praising faculty playwright Michael Fry for his teaching and encouragement.[14][15] Seeking more ways to involve herself in the television and film industry, she also worked at a movie theater, at a Best Buy, and at a Blockbuster.[16] In 2006, she transferred her Blockbuster job to a location in Los Angeles to better pursue her ambitions.[16]

Career

Having arrived in Los Angeles, Waithe secured a job as an assistant to the executive producer of Girlfriends, a long running sitcom.[16] Soon after, she landed a minor role in Lisa Kudrow's The Comeback.[16] She later became a writer for the Fox television series Bones,[6] a writer for the 2012 Nickelodeon sitcom How to Rock, and a producer on the 2014 satirical comedy film Dear White People.[17] Waithe wrote and appeared in the YouTube series "Twenties" which was produced by Flavor Unit Entertainment and optioned in 2014 by BET.[18][19] In addition to writing and directing the short film "Save Me", which was shown at several independent film festivals,[20] Waithe wrote the 2013 web series "Hello Cupid" and the 2011 viral video Shit Black Girls Say.[17]

In 2014, Variety named Waithe as one of its "10 Comedians to Watch".[18] In August 2015, Showtime network commissioned a pilot for an upcoming series, The Chi, written by Waithe and produced by Common, which tells a young urban Black-American man's coming-of-age story.[21] As the show's creator, Waithe's goal was to bring her experience growing up on the South Side and experiencing its diversity to craft a story that paints a more nuanced portrait of her hometown than is typically shown.[22] Similarly, Waithe continues to extend her influence to support the Black-American community in the entertainment industry through her role as co-chair of the Committee of Black Writers at the Writers Guild.[11] Waithe was cast in the Netflix series Master of None after meeting creator and lead actor Aziz Ansari who, with Alan Yang, had originally written Denise as a straight, white woman with the potential, according to Waithe, to evolve into one of the main character's love interests: "For some reason, [casting director] Allison Jones thought about me for it, a black gay woman."[8] Ansari and Yang rewrote the script to make the character more like Waithe: "All of us actors play heightened versions of ourselves."[8] She said, "I don't know if we've seen a sly, harem pants-wearing, cool Topshop sweatshirt-wearing, snapback hat-rocking lesbian on TV."[6] She also said, "I know how many women I see out in the world who are very much like myself. We exist. To me, the visibility of it was what was going to be so important and so exciting."[6]

In 2017, Waithe and Ansari won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the season 2 episode "Thanksgiving".[23] She became the first Black-American woman to win an Emmy in that category.[23][24][25] Waithe described the episode as based on her coming out experience as a lesbian.[26] During her Emmy speech, she sent a special message to her LGBTQIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual)[27] family discussing how "The things that make us different—those are our superpowers."[28] She ended her speech by recognizing her journey as a Black woman saying "Thank you for embracing a little Indian boy from South Carolina and a little queer black girl from the South Side of Chicago."[29] Waithe also developed an autobiographical drama series called The Chi.[30][31] Out Magazine named Waithe the Out100: Artist of the Year on November 8, 2017.[32]

Waithe wrote and produced the road trip/crime film Queen & Slim, starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, and directed by Melina Matsoukas. It was released on November 27, 2019, by Universal Pictures.[33]

In 2020, Waithe lent her voice to the Pixar animated film Onward, portraying the cyclops police officer Specter, the first queer animated character in Disney history.[34]

She focus to recruit more people of color and queer artists for her film and television projects.[35]

Personal life

Waithe is a lesbian.[36] She became engaged in 2017 to Alana Mayo,[37][38] a content executive;[39] the couple married in 2019 in San Francisco.[40] On January 23, 2020, Waithe and Mayo announced that they had separated after two months of marriage.[41]

Waithe has described her family as "lazy Christians" and said in 2018, "I'm a huge believer in God, and Jesus Christ, and that God made me and all those things. And I try to just be a good person. I think that is the base of my religion, is to be good, is to be honest."[42]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2011Save MeN/AShort film; Director and writer
2014Dear White PeopleN/AProducer
2014LadylikeN/ACo-producer
2018Step SistersN/AProducer
2018Ready Player OneAech / Helen
2019Queen & SlimN/AScreenwriter, Co-producer
2020Bad HairBrook-Lynne
2020The 40-Year-Old VersionN/AProducer
2020OnwardOfficer Specter (voice)

Television

As an actress

Year Title Role Crew role, notes
2014 The Comeback Summer Episode: "Valerie Faces the Critics"
2015–2017 Master of None Denise Recurring; 10 episodes
2016 Transparent Jane Episode: "Elizah"
2018 This Is Us Animal Shelter Clerk Episode: "That'll Be the Day"
2018 Dear White People P. Ninny 3 episodes
2019 A Black Lady Sketch Show Office Employee Episode: "Your Boss Knows You Don't Have Eyebrows"
2020 The Healing Powers of Dude Lord Dingwall Episode: "I'll Be Right Here"
2020 Westworld Ash 8 episodes
2020 The Chi Camille Hallaway 2 episodes
2020 Big Mouth Lena 2 episodes

As a writer

Year Title Role Crew role, notes
2012 M.O Diaries Writer TV series
2012 How to Rock Writer 2 episodes
2013 Hello Cupid Writer 7 episodes
2014–2015 Bones Staff writer 15 episodes
2015 Master of None Writer Episode: Thanksgiving
2018-2020 The Chi Creator; Writer 30 episodes
2019-2020 Boomerang Creator; Writer; Executive producer 4 episodes
2020 Twenties Creator; Executive producer 8 episode

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2015 Independent Spirit Awards Best First Feature Dear White People Nominated
2015 Gotham Awards Audience Award Nominated
2015 Black Reel Outstanding Motion Picture Nominated
2017 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Writing - Comedy Series "Thanksgiving", Master of None Won
2018 Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle Trailblazer Award N/A Nominated
2018 Writers Guild of America Comedy Series Master of None Nominated
2018 NAACP Image Awards Writing - Comedy Series Nominated
2018 MTV Movie Award Best on Screen Team Ready Player One Nominated
2019 St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Original Screenplay Queen & Slim Nominated
2019 Black Film Critics Circle Awards Best Original Screenplay Won

References
  1. "Lena Waithe". Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 8, 2020. Birthday: May 17; Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
  2. Schedler, Carrie (January 4, 2018). "Lena Waithe Comes Home". Chicago. Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020. ...the 33-year-old [as of Jan. 4, 2018]...
  3. "Lena Waithe: The World's 100 Most Influential People". Time. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  4. Swartz, Tracy (November 18, 2015). "Chicago-set pilot to be a mix of 'Fruitvale Station,' 'Crash'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  5. Harris, Marquita (February 5, 2016). "Why We 'Should Be Embarrassed' About This Year's Oscars". Refinery29. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  6. Weidenfeld, Lisa (November 18, 2015). "'Master of None's' Lena Waithe Talks Accidental Stardom, 'Failure to Launch'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  7. Mast, Audrey Michelle (July 11, 2014). "Lena Waithe (BA '06)". Columbia College Chicago: Alumni Spotlights. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  8. Garcia, Patricia (November 17, 2015). "Meet Lena Waithe, Master of None's Wisest and Funniest BFF". Vogue. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  9. Woodson, Jacqueline. "The Cover Story: Lena Waithe Is Changing the Game". HWD. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  10. Hyman, Dan (2018). "With 'The Chi,' Lena Waithe Heads Home in Search of the Real Chicago". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  11. Woodson, Jacqueline (April 2018). "The Cover Story: Lena Waithe Is Changing the Game". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  12. "Lena Waithe '06". Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  13. Zwecker, Bill (November 3, 2015). "Chicagoan Lena Waithe Plays Herself (Sort Of) In Aziz Ansari's Netflix Series". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on December 7, 2015. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  14. "Millennial Hustle". DEMO Magazine. April 25, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  15. "Associate Professor Michael Fry". Columbia College Chicago. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  16. Haithcoat, Rebecca (January 5, 2018). "Master of None's Lena Waithe: 'If you come from a poor background, TV becomes what you dream about'". the Guardian. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  17. Goldberg, Lesley (August 11, 2015). "Showtime Orders Black Coming-of-Age Drama Produced by Common". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  18. Holman, Jordyn (July 1, 2014). "Comedian Lena Waithe Inks Deal With BET to Write Pilot 'Twenties' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  19. Hasin, Sarvat (August 28, 2013). "On Making Mirrors". The Toast. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  20. Fox, Sarah (August 11, 2015). "Lena Waithe, Common to create coming of age drama series". The / Slanted. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  21. Littleton, Cynthia (January 9, 2017). "Showtime Gives Series Order to Drama 'The Chi'". Variety. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  22. Metz, Nina. "Writers and cast of Lena Waithe's 'The Chi' aim to show South Side in a different light". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  23. Moniuszko, Sara M. (May 16, 2017). "Lena Waithe's powerful Emmys speech: Our differences 'are our superpowers'". USA Today. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  24. "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series - 2017". Television Academy. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  25. Saraiya, Sonia. "Lena Waithe on Being the 1st Black Woman Nom'd for Comedy Writing Emmy". Variety. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  26. Villarreal, Yvonne (August 10, 2017). "How Lena Waithe's coming-out story inspired the 'Master of None' Thanksgiving episode". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  27. "About the LGBTQIA Resource Center | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center". lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  28. Littleton, Cynthia (September 18, 2017). "Lena Waithe Makes Emmy History as First Black Woman to Win for Comedy Writing". Variety. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  29. "Read the Full Text of Master of None Writer Lena Waithe's Moving Emmys Speech". Time. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  30. Littleton, Cynthia (September 17, 2017). "Lena Waithe Wins Emmy: First Black Woman to Get Comedy Writing Award". Variety. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  31. Andreeva, Nellie, "Showtime Picks Up Drama ‘The Chi’ To Series; Jason Mitchell Joins Cast – TCA", Deadline Hollywood, January 9, 2017.
  32. "OUT100: Lena Waithe, Artist of the Year". November 8, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  33. Jodie Smith-Turner to Star Opposite Daniel Kaluuya in ‘Queen & Slim’ (EXCLUSIVE)
  34. Thornton, Cedric (February 27, 2020). ""Onward" Will Feature Disney's First LGBTQ Animated Character Voiced By Lena Waithe". Black Enterprise. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  35. Woodson, Jacqueline. "The Cover Story: Lena Waithe Is Changing the Game". HWD. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  36. Leighton-Dore, Samuel (March 7, 2018). "Lena Waithe encourages closeted colleagues to 'stop hiding' and come out". sbs.com.au. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  37. Adams, Rebecca (February 4, 2016). "Lena Waithe Explains How She Got Into A Relationship With A Straight Woman". Refinery29. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  38. Missing, Natalie (December 19, 2017). "Lena Waithe Got Engaged on Thanksgiving, Is Truly Committed To Queering Thanksgiving". Autostraddle. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
  39. "Alana Mayo | Professional Profile". Linked in. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  40. Calvario, Liz (November 15, 2019). "Lena Waithe Reveals She Secretly Married Longtime Love Alana Mayo". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  41. France, Lisa Respers. "Lena Waithe and wife Alana Mayo split two months after marriage announcement". CNN. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  42. "'The Chi' Creator Lena Waithe Says Television 'Taught Me How To Dream'". NPR. January 11, 2018. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
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