Tag Archives: Lena Whaithe

Lena Waithe Wants To Create A Primetime Show Where Lead Is Black, Queer And Female

Earlier this month, Lena Waithe became the first black woman to win the Emmy for Comedy Writing.

Following that epic win, she says she now plans to make a primetime show that focuses on a black, queer woman.

Talking to The Daily Beast, she explained.

We do still have a way to go. I want to create a show where a black gay woman is the lead, where she is the protagonist, she is the person whom we are following.

That is still yet to be done. I have faith. I hope we can make it happen, we still don’t have that. We don’t have a show where a queer brown male person is the lead.”

Waithe went on to explain that black woman such as Laverne Cox are helping to pave the way to her dream.

I think Doubt with Laverne Cox was a huge leap forward. Unfortunately, it was short-lived but it was still a notch on our belt. I think we need more of that. The world is ready. They are. Let my episode be an example. They’re ready for it.”

Waithe added that she’s sure she will have to do some “heavy lifting” to create something “a network can get behind” but hopefully it’ll make way for more diverse shows that celebrate people of colour and queer culture.

She added that she has already “writing something” but wouldn’t give a clue as to what the character, plot or setting would be.

All that stuff I can’t say. I’ll just say things are looking good and people should stay tuned.”

Here Are The Queerest Moments From This Year’s Emmys

Among the biggest winners at the 2017 Emmy Awards: LGBTQ stories and storytellers.

We’ve put together the top rainbow moments of the 2017 Emmys just for you:

Lena Whaithe made her-story

This year’s Emmy Awards were full of historical moments, including Lena Waithe’s incredible and well-deserved win.

At the award show, the Master of None actress became the first black woman to win an award for comedy writing for the show’s Thanksgiving episode, which she cowrote with Aziz Ansari.

Black Mirror’s San Junipero proved queer stories do work

San Junipero broke with Black Mirror’s usually-bleak depiction of technology and the future, with a notably upbeat and heart-warming love story between two women.

The acclaimed episode, which was near-universally acclaimed, picked up an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

Charlie Brooker, who wrote the episode himself, also picked up the award for Outstanding Writing for a TV Movie.

The episode starred Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis as lovers Kelly and Yorkie.

Kate McKinnon showed the world she’s a comedy goddess

Kate McKinnon was one of the early winners of the evening Sunday, beating a field that included some of her Saturday Night Live colleagues to take home the award for supporting actress in a comedy series.

The first openly lesbian cast member of the sketch comedy show, McKinnon made her mark this season with portrayals of Hillary Clinton, Jeff Sessions, Kellyanne Conway, Betsy DeVos and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

‘Gender traitor’ Alexis Bledel is recognized

Picking up her award at last week’s pre-show Emmy’s, Alexis Bledel won the outstanding guest actress in a drama series for her haunting performance as Ofglen, in the dystopian The Handmaid’s Tale.

It was her first Emmy win.

RuPaul played a living Emmy statue

During the telecast, host Stephen Colbert sat down for an interview with the Emmy statue herself, a golden-winged woman played by RuPaul, TV’s most famous drag queen.
RuPaul was a winner this year too, nabbing the award for host of a reality or reality-competition series for the second consecutive year at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

Samira Wiley looked way to cute with her wife, Lauren Morelli

Wiley and her wife, Orange is the New Black writer, Lauren Morelli stole everyone’s hearts with how cute they were on the red carpet and during the ceremony.

Wiley was nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her work on The Handmaid’s Tale.

But she was pipped at the post by her co-star, Ann Dowd.

The Cast of 9 to 5 Reunited at the Emmys to Blast Donald Trump

Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda reunited to present at the award ceremony, and used it as an opportunity to tear down Donald Trump

Lena Whaithe Makes History At The Emmys

Lena Whaithe became the first black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing alongside Aziz Ansari for their Thanksgiving episode of Master of None — she’s also the first black woman to ever be nominated for the award.

https://twitter.com/jnsanchez/status/909592794179805184

Thanksgiving follows Ansari and Waithe’s characters over decades as she comes out to her family and they gradually accept her.

Waithe also managed to make a heartfelt speech dedicated to the LGBTI community.

My LGBTQIA family, I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different — those are our superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door throw on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world, because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren’t in it.

And for everybody out there that showed us so much love for this episode, thank you for embracing a little Indian boy from South Carolina and a queer black girl from the heart of Chicago. We appreciate it more than you could ever know.’

In the press room, Waithe told reporters that her wish is for this historic win to embolden those in positions of power to offer opportunities to a more diverse pool of writers.

I hope it will open up people’s eyes to give women of color a seat at the table so they can tell their stories.”

It echoed comments she made in August while talking about her Emmy nomination during a GLAAD panel.

Waithe said it speaks to the fact the industry is progressing — but added that there’s still a long way to go, and mentorship is a big part of that evolution.

We still have a lot of work to do and I’m fighting to make sure that happens. I’m definitely really involved in mentorship … because the only way it’s going to actually change is for us to not just sort of talk about it, but to look people in the eye who say, ‘I want to be a writer,’ and go, ‘Okay, great. Give me your script. Let me take a look at it. Here’s how you can make it better,’ because, again, it’s a matter of greatness. It’s, like, you have to be great to get in there. I’m still striving for greatness, but I think the biggest thing is to make sure that people of color have some guidance and some mentorship to help them get to that place. Otherwise, they don’t get in those rooms. Or they get in the rooms and they fail. That’s problematic. So I’m just sort of actively trying to help make sure people have opportunities.”