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IN PROFILE: LENA WAITHE

BY BILLY WELSBY

WHO IS SHE? 

 

* Lena Waithe is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter, known primarily for her work as a writer for TV shows such as Bones, How To Rock and Master of None. 

 

THAT’S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE 

 

* It’s more than impressive! Waithe is not only a successful screenwriter she’s a trailblazer! In 2017 she became the first African American woman to win the Emmy for ‘Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series’ for her work on Master of None. 

 

SO SHES PRETTY INFLUENTIAL THEN? 

 

* Absolutely! Aside from all the record-breaking awards she is currently OUT Magazines Artist of The Year and the star of Steven Spielberg’s new movie. 

 

OUT Magazine? So, she’s LGBTQ+? 

 

* Waithe identifies as a lesbian and has been outspoken in using her experiences in her work. Shes also an advocate for making queer writers more visible within TV and film saying in a recent Vanity Fair interview “My Emmy win has allowed me the means to say to people in meeting ‘I’m busy but I know a hell of a lot of queer, black writers who can do that for you’” (Woodson, 2018) so she’s clearly using her success to help not only herself but the whole community.

THAT’S AMAZING! WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT HER? 

 

* Her influence is massive! Not only does she currently have THREE shows currently in production (something which is rare for straight, white producers let alone gay, black women) these shows are changing their dialogues to fit into HER needs. Her character in Master of None (that’s right she stars in it too) originally started out as a straight woman who was supposed to be seen as a love interest for another character. It became clear at table readings that the character was much more than that and she was rewritten to fit more like Waithe’s own personality. 

 

SO IN SHORT, SHES PRETTY COOL? 

 

* Shes the coolest and paving the way for queer women of colour everywhere, we need more women like Lena Waithe!!!

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