Lena Waithe

About

Lena Waithe (/weɪθ/; born May 17, 1984) is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter. She is the creator of the Showtime drama series The Chi (2018–present) and the BET comedy series Boomerang (2019–20) and Twenties (2020–21). She also wrote and produced the crime film Queen & Slim (2019) and is the executive producer of the horror anthology series Them (2021–present). Waithe gained recognition for her role in the Netflix comedy-drama series Master of None (2015–2021) and became the first African-American 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. She has also appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2018 adventure film Ready Player One and the HBO series Westworld. In 2023, she was nominated for Best Play at the 76th...

Known for

Grey's AnatomySeries • 2005BonesSeries • 2005WestworldSeries • 2016This Is UsSeries • 2016Big MouthSeries • 2017The ChiSeries • 2018Ready Player OneMovie • 2018TransparentSeries • 2014The Proud Family: Louder and ProuderSeries • 2022The ComebackSeries • 2005A Black Lady Sketch ShowSeries • 2019OnwardMovie • 2020Master of NoneSeries • 2015ThemSeries • 2021Dear White PeopleSeries • 2017Mating SeasonSeries • 2026#blackAFSeries • 2020Chang Can DunkMovie • 2023Queen & SlimMovie • 2019Being Mary Tyler MooreMovie • 2023A Thousand and OneMovie • 2023Bad HairMovie • 2021The Forty-Year-Old VersionMovie • 2020Dear White PeopleMovie • 2014