Lena Waithe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lena Waithe (2018)

Lena D. Waithe (born May 17, 1984 in Chicago , United States ) is an American screenwriter , actress and film producer who became famous for her role in the Netflix series Master of None . At the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards , Waithe and Aziz Ansari won an Emmy for Best Screenplay in a Comedy Episode for the eighth episode of the second season Master of None (Thanksgiving).

Life

Waithe was born in Chicago. At first, she didn't want to be an actress, but rather write scripts for television series. Her single mother and grandmother supported Waithe's endeavors. She attended Evanston Township High School and graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2006. The playwright Michael Fry had this huge impact that Waithe continued to pursue her acting talent. In November 2017, she got engaged to Alana Mayo while on vacation in Japan.

Career

In 2011 Waithe released the short film Save Me, which she directed and wrote the screenplay and which was screened at various film festivals . Her professional career as a screenwriter, she joined the Nickelodeon - sitcom How to Rock (2012). In 2013 she wrote the scripts for the web series Hello Cupid. Between 2014 and 2015 Waithe wrote for the Fox - TV series Bones - The bone hunter , and in 2014 she acted as a producer for the satirical comedy Dear White People. She also wrote for and appeared in the YouTube series Twenties . In 2014, the American television broadcaster BET commissioned the production of a series based on Twenties .

In 2014, led Variety Waithe in a list, with the "10 comedians that you should watch" (10 Comedians to Watch) . In August 2015, the mandated cable TV - Network Showtime production of a pilot episode for a new series, written by Waithe and the rapper and actor Common to be produced. It was supposed to tell the coming-of-age story of a young African-American man from the suburbs. Both Waithe and Common grew up on Chicago's South Side.

After meeting Aziz Ansari , creator and lead actor of the series Master of None , he rewrote the role of Denise, which he conceived together with Alan Yang as a straight white woman and a potential possible love story for Ansari's role. "For some reason, casting director Allison Jones thought of me for the role, a black homosexual woman." Ansari and Yang rewrote the scripts to make the character more like Waithe's: "We actors play exaggerated versions of ourselves." "I do not know if we ever a sly, harem pants , cool Topshop - sweatshirt and Snapback Cap have seen on television wearing lesbian." "I know that many women that I see out in the world, mine are very similar. We exist. For me the visibility of it was very important and exciting. "

In September 2017, Waithe and Aziz Ansari won an Emmy in the category for "Best Screenplay in a Comedy Series" for the episode Thanksgiving from the second season, Master of None. She is the first black woman ever to receive this award. The episode is based on Waithe's coming-out experience. The American Out magazine named Waithe Artist of the Year in November 2017.

She is currently working on an autobiographical drama series for Showtime called The Chi, which has aired since January 2018.

Filmography

As a screenwriter

  • 2011: Save Me (short film)
  • 2012: How to Rock (TV series, 2 episodes)
  • 2013: Hello Cupid (web series, 7 episodes)
  • 2014-2015: Bones (Bones, TV series, episode 10x11 this side and beyond and not always real , 14 more as staff writer)
  • 2017: Master of None (TV series, episode 2x8 Thanksgiving)
  • since 2018: The Chi (TV series)
  • 2019: Queen & Slim

As an actress

As a producer

As a director

  • 2011: Save Me (short film)

Awards

Emmy

Gold Derby Awards

  • 2017: Nomination in the category Best Comedy Episode of the Year for the Thanksgiving episode by Master of None (with Aziz Ansari and Melina Matsoukas )

Black Reel Award

  • 2015: Nomination in the category Best Film for Dear White People (as producer)
  • 2017: Nomination in the category Best Screenplay for a Comedy Series for the episode Thanksgiving by Master of None (with Aziz Ansari)

Independent Spirit Award

  • 2015: Nomination for Best Debut Film for Dear White People (as producer)

Gotham Award

  • 2014: Nomination in the audience award category for Dear White People (as producer)

Web links

Commons : Lena Waithe  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lacey Rose, Michael O'Connell, Bryn Elise Sandberg, Kate Stanhope, Lesley Goldberg: Next Gen Fall TV: 10 Stars Poised for Breakouts. In: The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media , August 28, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  2. ↑ a b c d Patricia Garcia: Meet Lena Waithe, Master of None's Wisest and Funniest BFF. In: Vogue . Condé Nast, November 17, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  3. ↑ a b c Bill Zwecker: Chicagoan Lena Waithe plays herself (sort of) in Aziz Ansari's Netflix series. In: Chicago Sun-Times . Sun-Times Media Group , November 3, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  4. ↑ a b c d e Lisa Weidenfeld: 'Master of None's' Lena Waithe Talks Accidental Stardom,' Failure to Launch. In: The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media , November 18, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  5. ↑ Dana Rose Falcone: 'Master of None's' Lena Waithe Talks Accidental Stardom,' Failure to Launch. In: Entertainment Weekly . Time Inc. , November 10, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  6. ↑ Tracy Swartz: Chicago-set pilot to be a mix of 'Fruitvale Station,' 'Crash'. In: Chicago Tribune . tronc, Inc., November 18, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  7. ↑ Marquita Harris: Why We "Should Be Embarrassed" About This Year's Oscars. In: Refinery29. Refinery 29 Inc., February 5, 2016, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  8. ↑ a b Audrey Michelle Mast: Lena Waithe '06. In: colum.edu. Columbia College Chicago, July 11, 2014, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  9. ↑ a b Millennial Hustle. In: colum.edu. Columbia College Chicago, April 25, 2014, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  10. ↑ Michael Fry. In: colum.edu. Columbia College Chicago, archived from the original on December 13, 2016 ; accessed on September 19, 2017 (English).
  11. ↑ L-Mag.de:The Weddings, Engagements, Rainbow Babies and Farewells 2017
  12. ^ Sarah Fox: Lena Waithe, Common to create coming of age drama series. In: The Slanted. The Slanted LLC, August 11, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  13. ^ A b c Lesley Goldberg: Showtime Orders Black Coming-of-Age Drama Produced by Common. In: The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media , August 11, 2015, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  14. ↑ a b Jordyn Holman: Comedian Lena Waithe Inks Deal With BET to Write Pilot 'Twenties' (Exclusive). In: Variety . Penske Media Corporation, July 1, 2014, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  15. ↑ Sarvat Hasin: On Making Mirrors. (No longer available online.) In: The Toast. August 28, 2013, archived from the original on January 27, 2018 ; accessed on September 19, 2017 (English). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / the-toast.net
  16. ↑ a b Sara M Moniuszko: Lena Waithe gave a powerful speech after making history for black women at the Emmys. In: USA Today . Gannett , September 17, 2017, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  17. ↑ 69th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners. Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series - 2017. In: emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, September 17, 2017, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  18. ↑ Sonia Saraiya: 'Master of None's' Lena Waithe on Emmy Nom for Comedy Writing: 'I Didn't Know I Was the First Black Woman'. In: Variety . Penske Media Corporation, August 4, 2017, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  19. ↑ Les Fabian Brathwaite: OUT100: Lena Waithe, Artist of the Year. In: Out . Here Media, November 8, 2017, accessed December 19, 2017 .
  20. ↑ Cynthia Littleton: Lena Waithe Makes Emmy History as First Black Woman to Win for Comedy Writing. In: Variety . Penske Media Corporation, September 17, 2017, accessed September 19, 2017 .
  21. ^ Nellie Andreeva: Showtime Picks Up Drama 'The Chi' To Series; Jason Mitchell Joins Cast - TCA. In: Deadline.com . Penske Media Corporation, January 9, 2017, accessed September 19, 2017 .
personal data
SURNAME Waithe, Lena
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Waithe, Lena D.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American screenwriter, actress and film producer
DATE OF BIRTH 17th May 1984
PLACE OF BIRTH Chicago , United States