Lena Waithe
‘The Chi’ Boss on How That Major Finale Death Sets Up Season 7
[This story contains major spoilers from the season six finale of The Chi.] To say that Otis “Douda” Perry, played by Curtiss Cook, had a target on his back by numerous people on The Chi would be a major understatement. For five seasons on the Paramount+ with Showtime series Douda has served as the ultimate, […]
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Leon on His ‘The Chi’ Fate and Being Drawn to Roles With “Leading Man Qualities”
It’s been about 35 years since a one-name actor known as Leon generated some controversial chemistry with Madonna in her classic “Like a Prayer” video in 1989. Now, while on a Zoom interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 6-foot-3-inch actor whose full name is Leon Preston Robinson — and who walks with the same swagger […]
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‘The Chi’ Stars Curtiss Cook, Lynn Whitfield on Their Feud and a “Shakespearean Spiral” Ahead
[This story contains spoilers from the premiere of season six, Part 2 of The Chi.] When the first half of season six of The Chi ran its final episode in September of last year, a high stakes move played out to remove the city’s most feared villain from the Southside, Otis “Douda” Perry, played by […]
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Guest Essay: Seeing Myself in Mary Tyler Moore
When Lena Waithe called and asked if I wanted to direct a film about Mary Tyler Moore, I said, “Absolutely.” But I quickly added that I knew nothing about Mary and had never seen any of her work: “Maybe I’m the wrong person?” “But you’ll do a deep dive; you’ll be thorough,” Lena replied, “and […]
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Lena Waithe Gets Candid About Career Ups and Downs During Barnard Commencement Speech: “I Didn’t Know How to Exist as This Ideal Icon”
Lena Waithe took a moment to share what she’s learned from the successes and struggles she’s had throughout her career during a commencement speech for Barnard College’s class of 2023. “Things were good for a while, but, eventually, the bloom fell off the rose,” she said. “I wrote a movie that people wished had a […]
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‘Chang Can Dunk’ Review: A Disney+ Coming-of-Age Charmer That’s Not as Formulaic as It Appears
A not-so-tall teenager sets out to prove he can dunk a basketball in this film from writer-director Jingyi Shao.
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Sundance: Macro Lodge Returns With Programming Featuring Ryan Coogler, Lena Waithe, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Sanaa Lathan
The MACRO Lodge is back in time for the weekend. The sixth annual MACRO Lodge opens today in conjunction with the Sundance Film Festival in Park City with a slate of (invitation-only) programming of inclusive screenings, panels and parties, many of which serve to champion inclusion and people of color at its prime location on […]
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Jordan E. Cooper on Saving Broadway’s ‘Ain’t No Mo,’’ His “Love and Loathe” Letter to American Theater
Just one week after its opening, new Broadway play Ain’t No Mo’ announced it would soon be ending its run. Written by and starring Jordan E. Cooper — the youngest Black American playwright in Broadway history — and produced by Lee Daniels, the play is set to close on Dec. 18, unless the production can rally audiences […]
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‘Beauty’: Film Review
A singer on the cusp of fame struggles to balance family life, love and self-worth in a Netflix feature written by Lena Waithe and directed by Andrew Dosunmu.
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How a Soul Food Spot Became Black Hollywood’s Top Restaurant for Power Dining
There are dozens of L.A. restaurants that draw actors dining with agents and directors imbibing with studio executives. Only one, however, lays claim to an outdoor space where said guests also will do the electric slide, mid-meal, while belting out Luther Vandross. Such was the scene at Alta Adams a few months ago, when Lena […]
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Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad, Indeed Extend BIPOC Filmmaker Initiative With $3M Investment
In February, Lena Waithe’s production company Hillman Grad partnered with the job listings company Indeed to launch Rising Voices, an initiative to help ten up-and-coming BIPOC filmmakers boost their careers by creating their own short films budgeted at $100,000 each. After a successful inaugural outing, which yielded more than 650 jobs and saw the shorts […]
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Lena Waithe Prepping ‘Hoop Dreams’ Series as Part of WBTV Overall Deal
Lena Waithe is changing her TV home. The Master of None Emmy winner has moved her overall deal from Amazon to Warner Bros. Television Group. As part of the multiple-year deal, Waithe and her Hillman Grad Productions banner are developing a scripted adaptation of the landmark documentary Hoop Dreams. Waithe had been based at Amazon […]
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