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IMDbPro

Lena Waithe

  • Producer
  • Writer
  • Actress
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Lena Waithe
Lena Waithe is the ambassador for the 2023 American Black Film Festival. While you may know Lena from her on-screen performances in "Master of None" and 'Ready Player One,' she's also a creator, producer, and an Emmy-winning writer of multiple projects. "No Small Parts" takes a look at her multifaceted career in film and television.
Play clip3:48
The Rise of Lena Waithe
44 Videos
99+ Photos
Lena Waithe was born on 17 May 1984 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Master of None (2015), Đấu Trường Ảo (2018) and Queen Và Slim (2019). She has been married to Alana Mayo since November 2019.
BornMay 17, 1984
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 17, 1984
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Primetime Emmy
      • 10 wins & 27 nominations total

    Photos187

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    Known for

    Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
    Master of None
    8.2
    TV Series
    • Producer
    Steven Spielberg, Ben Mendelsohn, George Michael, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Perdita Weeks, Kamara Benjamin Barnett, Mandy June Turpin, T.J. Miller, Lena Waithe, Stephen Mitchell, Neet Mohan, Win Morisaki, Elliot Barnes-Worrell, Kae Alexander, Sarah Sharman, Robert Gilbert, Raed Abbas, Letitia Wright, Tye Sheridan, Asan N'Jie, Hannah John-Kamen, Cara Theobold, Olivia Cooke, Alphonso Austin, Amy Clare Beales, Jane Leaney, Kathryn Wilder, and Philip Zhao in Đấu Trường Ảo (2018)
    Đấu Trường Ảo
    7.4
    • Aech
    • Helen
    • 2018
    Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith in Queen Và Slim (2019)
    Queen Và Slim
    7.1
    • Producer(p.g.a.)
    • 2019
    Lynn Whitfield in The Chi (2018)
    The Chi
    7.5
    TV Series
    • Producer

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Producer

    • Lynn Whitfield in The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2018–2024
    • Back Home (2024)
      Back Home
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Daniel Fitzgerald, Erika Aldana, Mariia Kachynska, Camila Madero, Jay Swuen, David Tsai, Lena Waithe, S.K. Wong, Sheldon Bailey, Joshua Cole, Janet Hsieh, Armida Lopez, Tatum Brontë, Manuel Del Valle, Juan Mendizabal, and Sebastian Segura in In the Fold (2024)
      In the Fold
      Short
      • executive producer
      • producer
      • 2024
    • Technicians (2024)
      Technicians
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Endling (2024)
      Endling
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Bobby Soto in Fireline (2024)
      Fireline
      7.9
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Bitter Leaf (2024)
      Bitter Leaf
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2024
    • Paul Dillon, Darrin Navarro, Sophie Kay, Taehee Kim, Caroline Ho, Ki Jin Kim, Tim Beers Jr., Spencer Kramber, Rasa Partin, Jongman Kim, Sara Beers, Hanrui Wang, Hailey Soomin Lee, and Justin Kim WooSok in Sarajin (2023)
      Sarajin
      7.1
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Rocky Road on Channel Three (2023)
      Rocky Road on Channel Three
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • In Your Light, Do We See Light (2023)
      In Your Light, Do We See Light
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • The Gag (2023)
      The Gag
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Matt McGorry, Michelle Mao, and Yvette Lu in My Nights Glow Yellow (2023)
      My Nights Glow Yellow
      8.0
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Order for Pickup (2023)
      Order for Pickup
      7.9
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • Last Days of the Lab (2023)
      Last Days of the Lab
      7.8
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023
    • The Ballad of Tita and the Machines (2023)
      The Ballad of Tita and the Machines
      9.0
      Short
      • executive producer
      • 2023

    Writer

    • Untitled Lena Waithe Project
      • Writer
      • TV Movie
    • Lynn Whitfield in The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • created by
      • written by (creator)
      • 2018–2024
    • Kym (2022)
      Kym
      6.1
      Podcast Series
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Beauty (2022)
      Beauty
      4.2
      • written by
      • 2022
    • Twenties (2020)
      Twenties
      6.8
      TV Series
      • created by
      • written by (creator)
      • 2020–2021
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2017–2021
    • Boomerang (2019)
      Boomerang
      5.6
      TV Series
      • developed by
      • written by (creator)
      • 2019–2020
    • Kylee Russell, Kayla Maisonet, Anjelika Washington, Yindra Zayas, and Gi'onna Kamille in Girls Room (2020)
      Girls Room
      7.3
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 2020
    • Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith in Queen Và Slim (2019)
      Queen Và Slim
      7.1
      • screenplay
      • story
      • 2019
    • Rising (2018)
      Rising
      8.2
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2018
    • David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in Hài Cốt (2005)
      Hài Cốt
      7.8
      TV Series
      • staff writer
      • written by (as Lena D. Waithe)
      • 2014–2015
    • Hayley Marie Norman, Brandon Scott, and Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins in Hello Cupid (2013)
      Hello Cupid
      8.1
      TV Series
      • story
      • creator
      • 2013
    • M.O. Diaries (2012)
      M.O. Diaries
      3.8
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 2012
    • Lulu Antariksa, Noah Crawford, Cymphonique Miller, Samantha Boscarino, Max Schneider, Halston Sage, and Chris O'Neal in How to Rock (2012)
      How to Rock
      5.3
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2012
    • Save Me
      5.7
      Short
      • writer
      • 2011

    Actress

    • Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole in House Party (2023)
      House Party
      4.4
      • Lena Waithe
      • 2023
    • Tab Time (2021)
      Tab Time
      9.0
      TV Series
      • 2021–2022
    • Kym (2022)
      Kym
      6.1
      Podcast Series
      • The Funeral Director
      • The Drive Thru Employee
      • Christina the Hairdresser
      • 2022
    • Pamela Adlon in Better Things (2016)
      Better Things
      7.9
      TV Series
      • Eli
      • 2022
    • The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (2022)
      The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
      3.1
      TV Series
      • College Maya (voice)
      • 2022
    • Andrew Rannells, Maya Rudolph, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, and Ayo Edebiri in Lắm Chuyện (2017)
      Lắm Chuyện
      7.8
      TV Series
      • Lena (voice)
      • 2020–2021
    • The L Word: Generation Q (2019)
      The L Word: Generation Q
      7.4
      TV Series
      • Eddie
      • 2021
    • Aziz Ansari in Master of None (2015)
      Master of None
      8.2
      TV Series
      • Denise
      • 2015–2021
    • Lynn Whitfield in The Chi (2018)
      The Chi
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Camille Hallaway
      • 2020
    • Thế Giới Viễn Tây (2016)
      Thế Giới Viễn Tây
      8.5
      TV Series
      • Ash
      • 2020
    • Rashida Jones and Kenya Barris in #BlackAF (2020)
      #BlackAF
      6.8
      TV Series
      • Lena Waithe
      • 2020
    • Bad Hair (2020)
      Bad Hair
      5.6
      • Brook-Lynne
      • 2020
    • The Healing Powers of Dude (2020)
      The Healing Powers of Dude
      6.6
      TV Series
      • Lord Dingwall (voice)
      • 2020
    • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John Ratzenberger, Tracey Ullman, Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna, Wilmer Valderrama, Catherine Apple, Sharon Calahan, Grey Griffin, Chris Pratt, Kori Rae, Mel Rodriguez, Dan Scanlon, Octavia Spencer, Keith Bunin, Kyle Bornheimer, Noah Klocek, Lena Waithe, Adam Habib, Jason Headley, Tom Holland, Ali Wong, and George Psarras in Truy Tìm Phép Thuật (2020)
      Truy Tìm Phép Thuật
      7.4
      • Officer Spector (voice)
      • 2020
    • DaMya Gurley, Tamara Jade, Robin Thede, Gabrielle Dennis, Angel Laketa Moore, and Skye Townsend in A Black Lady Sketch Show (2019)
      A Black Lady Sketch Show
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Office Employee
      • 2019
    • In-development projects at IMDbPro

    Videos44

    The Rise of Lena Waithe
    Clip 3:48
    The Rise of Lena Waithe
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    Clip 2:58
    How Teyana Taylor Reflects New York City's Women in 'A Thousand and One'
    7 Tribeca Festival Films We Can't Wait to See
    Clip 4:31
    7 Tribeca Festival Films We Can't Wait to See
    Kevin Smith's 6 Films to Watch Out For at Sundance 2020
    Clip 3:35
    Kevin Smith's 6 Films to Watch Out For at Sundance 2020
    I Think You Should
    Clip 0:57
    I Think You Should
    How 'Queen' Met 'Slim' on a Powerful Film of Firsts
    Interview 4:13
    How 'Queen' Met 'Slim' on a Powerful Film of Firsts
    Tye Sheridan and 'Ready Player One' Stars Get Up to Speed on the '80s
    Interview 3:09
    Tye Sheridan and 'Ready Player One' Stars Get Up to Speed on the '80s
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:50
    Official Trailer
    Season 3 Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:11
    Season 3 Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:15
    Official Trailer
    Season 2 Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:11
    Season 2 Official Trailer
    "Dreamer" Trailer
    Trailer 2:29
    "Dreamer" Trailer

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
    • Alternative name
      • Lena D. Waithe
    • Height
      • 1.75 m
    • Born
      • May 17, 1984
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Spouse
      • Alana MayoNovember 2019 - present (separated)
    • Parents
      • Ethel Laverne
    • Relatives
      • Sibling(Sibling)
    • Other works
      TV commercial for Nike
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Interview
      • 1 Article

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      She became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Thanksgiving (2017).
    • Quotes
      Here's the thing. I was raised on deep dish pizza. So, what you guys call pizza, I don't think that it's pizza. I think it's cheese bread.
    • Nickname
      • Katraukus

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