Key Takeaways
- Lena Waithe and Issa Rae are collaborating on a comedy inspired by their real-life friendship challenges.
- They plan to portray “thinly veiled” versions of themselves in the film.
- The movie marks a creative reunion that blends personal experience with humor.
Lena Waithe and Issa Rae have already helped shape some of the most impactful Black stories on television. Now, they might be ready to bring their own relationship to the big screen — messy parts included.
During a recent appearance on Bustle’s “One Nightstand,” Waithe shared that she has been quietly working on a movie inspired by the ups and downs of her friendship with Rae. And yes, that includes what she calls a “friendship breakup.”
“I’m working on this movie for myself and Issa Rae,” Waithe explained. “It’s a really cool idea about us being friends and having a bit of a friendship breakup, and it’s really funny and silly. I was supposed to be writing beats for her, but I ultimately just started writing the script, so I may just send that to her at some point.” The Emmy-winning writer admitted the project wasn’t exactly planned. “It was like, trying to write the beats was getting to be too difficult and so I just started working on the script,” she said.
Waithe revealed she and Rae have already talked through the concept together: “She and I [were] Zooming and talking and figuring out how it could be.” And in classic Waithe fashion, she’s not disguising much. “The characters’ names are Lena and Issa, I’m not even being that imaginative about it,” she joked. They’ll play “thinly veiled versions” of themselves, according to the creator of “The Chi.”
Most importantly, they intend to play themselves. “Yeah, we want to,” Waithe said about starring in the film. “So this is definitely an exclusive. Issa’s going to be like, ‘Oh s**t, well now we got to do it.’”
Issa Rae continues to champion Black stories on screen
As previously reported by REVOLT, Rae is also behind “Seen & Heard,” a two-part documentary that calls out how Hollywood has erased and undervalued Black television. The project, which premiered its first episode at SXSW, features influential creators like Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Shonda Rhimes, and highlights the undeniable impact of Black talent in shaping major networks. “Black people have such a rich, but often unacknowledged history in Hollywood,” Rae said, adding that, “We have defined American culture and influenced generations time and time again across the globe.” This is another example of Rae using her platform to push for authenticity and accountability — a mission this new comedy with Waithe seems poised to continue.