
Lena Waithe
Acting
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 Tony Awards, her production work on the sketch-comedy play Ain't No Mo'. Waithe was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018 and was included on Fast Company's Queer 50 list in 2021 and 2022. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lena Waithe, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
TV Shows(29)

Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television
Self
2025

Hollywood Black
Self
2024

Sherri
Self - Guest
2022

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder
College Maya (voice)
2022

Twenties After-Show With B. Scott
Self - Guest
2021

Amend: The Fight for America
Self
2021

#blackAF
Lena Waithe
2020

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Self - Contestant
2020

You Ain't Got These
2020

Visible: Out on Television
Self - Narrator (voice)
2020

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Self
2019

A Black Lady Sketch Show
Office Employee
2019

The Shop
Self
2018

The Chi
Camille Hallaway
2018

Big Mouth
Lena (voice)
2017

Dear White People
P. Ninny
2017

Westworld
Ash
2016

This Is Us
Animal Shelter Clerk
2016

Master of None
Denise Watkins
2015

Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2015

Transparent
Jane
2014

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009

RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge
2009

The Comeback
Summer
2005

Grey's Anatomy
Evynn Moore
2005

Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003

The Daily Show
Self
1996

The Grammys
Self
1959

The Oscars
Self
1953
Movies(13)

Reclaim the Flag
Self
2025

It's Dorothy!
Self
2025

Being Mary Tyler Moore
Self (voice)
2023

House Party
Self
2023

Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration
2022

2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self
2021

The One and Only Dick Gregory
Self
2021

Bad Hair
Brook-Lynne
2021

Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020
Self
2020

Onward
Officer Spector (voice)
2020

Ready Player One
Aech / Helen
2018
Place to Be
Shy
Untitled Friendship Breakup Film