History of Lena Waithe in Timeline
Lena Waithe is a multifaceted American entertainer, working as an actress, producer, and screenwriter. She gained prominence as the creator of the drama series 'The Chi' and the comedy series 'Boomerang' and 'Twenties.' Waithe also has writing and production credits for the film 'Queen & Slim' and serves as the executive producer for the horror anthology series 'Them.' Her contributions span across television and film, showcasing her creative influence in the entertainment industry.
May 17, 1984: Lena Waithe's Birth
On May 17, 1984, Lena Waithe was born. She is an American actress, producer, and screenwriter.
2006: Graduation from Columbia College Chicago
In 2006, Lena Waithe graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in cinema and television arts.
2011: Creator of 'Shit Black Girls Say'
In 2011, Lena Waithe created the viral video 'Shit Black Girls Say'.
2012: Writer for 'How to Rock'
In 2012, Lena Waithe worked as a writer for the Nickelodeon sitcom 'How to Rock'.
2013: Writer for "Hello Cupid"
In 2013, Lena Waithe wrote the web series 'Hello Cupid'.
2014: Producer on 'Dear White People' and optioned 'Twenties' by BET
In 2014, Lena Waithe worked as a producer on the satirical comedy film 'Dear White People', and her YouTube series 'Twenties' was optioned by BET.
2014: Named one of "10 Comedians to Watch"
In 2014, Variety named Lena Waithe one of its "10 Comedians to Watch".
August 2015: 'The Chi' Pilot Commissioned
In August 2015, Showtime commissioned a pilot for 'The Chi', a series written by Lena Waithe and produced by Common.
2015: Role in 'Master of None'
In 2015, Lena Waithe gained recognition for her role in the Netflix comedy-drama series 'Master of None'.
November 8, 2017: Out100: Artist of the Year
On November 8, 2017, Out Magazine named Lena Waithe the Out100: Artist of the Year.
2017: Emmy Award for "Thanksgiving" episode
In 2017, Lena Waithe won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for writing the 'Thanksgiving' episode of 'Master of None', becoming the first African-American woman to win in that category.
2018: Appearance in 'Ready Player One'
In 2018, Lena Waithe appeared in Steven Spielberg's adventure film 'Ready Player One'.
2018: Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2018, Lena Waithe was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People.
2018: Voiceover for AT&T commercials
Since 2018, Lena Waithe has provided the voiceover of the tagline of AT&T commercials.
November 27, 2019: Release of 'Queen & Slim'
On November 27, 2019, 'Queen & Slim', a road trip-crime film written and produced by Lena Waithe, was released by Universal Pictures.
2019: Creator of 'Boomerang', writer and producer of 'Queen & Slim'
In 2019, Lena Waithe created the BET comedy series 'Boomerang', and wrote and produced the crime film 'Queen & Slim'.
2019: Marriage to Alana Mayo
In 2019, Lena Waithe married Alana Mayo in San Francisco.
January 23, 2020: Separation from Alana Mayo
On January 23, 2020, Lena Waithe and Alana Mayo announced their separation after two months of marriage.
November 2020: Alana Mayo files for divorce
In November 2020, Alana Mayo filed for divorce from Lena Waithe.
2020: BET Award for 'Queen & Slim'
In 2020, 'Queen & Slim', written and produced by Lena Waithe, won a BET Award for Best Movie.
2020: Creator of 'Twenties'
In 2020, Lena Waithe created the BET comedy series 'Twenties'.
2020: Voice in 'Onward'
In 2020, Lena Waithe lent her voice to the Pixar animated film 'Onward', portraying the first queer animated character in Disney history, Specter.
2020: Hillman Grad Productions Mentoring and Training Program
In 2020, Lena Waithe's production company, Hillman Grad Productions, opened a mentoring and training program with financial support from the Froneri ice-cream company.
May 24, 2021: Divorce Finalized
On May 24, 2021, Lena Waithe's divorce from Alana Mayo was finalized by agreement.
2021: Inclusion on Fast Company's Queer 50 list
In 2021, Lena Waithe was included on Fast Company's Queer 50 list.
2021: Executive producer of 'Them'
In 2021, Lena Waithe was the executive producer of the horror anthology series 'Them'.
2022: Inclusion on Fast Company's Queer 50 list
In 2022, Lena Waithe was included on Fast Company's Queer 50 list.
2023: Tony Award Nomination for Ain't No Mo'
In 2023, Lena Waithe received a nomination for Best Play at the 76th Tony Awards for her production work on the sketch-comedy play 'Ain't No Mo''.
2024: Relationship with Cynthia Erivo confirmed
In 2024, Lena Waithe's relationship with English actress Cynthia Erivo was confirmed.
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