LENA WAITHE Got it Going On

BY: Amanda Jane Stern

Lena Waithe first gained recognition for her role as Denise in the Netflix comedy-drama series Master of None. But she didn’t just star, she also wrote for it. And in 2017, she became the first Black woman to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for writing the episode “Thanksgiving.” The Chicago-native continues to write and act in numerous productions, plus she’s also taking on directing and producing. To date, she has created three television series. So is there anything she can’t do?

Let’s take a look at her upcoming projects!

The Chi

Waithe’s coming-of-age drama Showtime series, The Chi, is returning for a fifth season. The show follows a group of Chicago residents linked by coincidence and finds themselves starting to bond. No dates have been announced for when production on season five starts or airs.

A Thousand and One

Waithe is producing this A.V. Rockwell written and directed crime drama about Inez (Teyana Taylor), who kidnaps a six-year-old from the foster care system. The film is currently in pre-production, but it already has domestic and international distribution through Focus Features and Universal Pictures International, respectively.

Beauty

Waithe wrote this romantic drama about a Black woman who finds herself struggling to maintain her voice and identity after winning a lucrative recording deal. The film stars Gracie Marie Bradley as Beauty, Niecy Nash, Sharon Stone, and Giancarlo Esposito. The release date is later this year on Netflix.

Birth of Cool

Waithe serves as executive producer on this upcoming tv series. Set on a high school campus, the show follows the adventures and misadventures of students and teachers as they make it through a surreal school year. BET+ ordered a 10-episode first season. But, no release date has been announced.