Lena Waithe Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

EXCLUSIVE: Emerging U.S. production company Marginal MediaWorks has attached Squid Game actor Anupam Tripathi to star in its upcoming scripted audio series Scammers.

Mary J. Blige, fresh off her performance at the Super Bowl halftime show, will hit the stage to perform at the 53rd annual NAACP Image Awards, which airs live Saturday, February 26 on BET.

EXCLUSIVE: Showtime is expanding its cast for The Chi, with the addition of Nia Jervier (Dear White People) and Carolyn Michelle Smith (House of Cards) who will take on recurring roles for the series’ upcoming fifth season.

Zoë Kravitz has reflected on the cancellation of the television series High Fidelity, calling it “a big mistake”.Kravitz starred in the romantic comedy as Rob, a music and pop culture-loving record store owner. Set in Brooklyn, the series followed her as she grappled with her failed past relationships.A reinterpretation of the 2000 film, which was adapted from the 1995 novel by Nick Hornby, the show was originally picked up in 2018 and developed for Disney+. The series then moved to Hulu a year later in April 2019 after Disney gained control of the streaming platform.Speaking to Elle, Kravitz opened up about the show’s cancellation in 2020 after just one season, a show that she also executive produced and co-wrote.Kravitz said: “They didn’t realise what that show was and what it could do.“The amount of letters, DMs, people on the street, and women that look like us — like, that love for the show, it meant something to people.

Better Things,” its original comedy series created by, executive produced by and starring Pamela Adlon.Adlon stars as Sam, a working actress raising three daughters in Los Angeles attempting to navigate her life and find fulfillment. Mikey Madison, Hannah Alligood and Olivia Edward portray Sam’s daughter, who are each struggling to come of age, while Celia Imrie portrays Sam’s mother, who deals with increasingly difficult mental and physical health issues. Adlon heavily based the series on her own experiences as an actor raising three daughters.The trailer for the new season sees Sam working on a new movie, giving a presentation to an elementary school class and arguing with her daughters.

Halle Berry, 55, made history at the 2002 Academy Awards for her role in the drama film Monster’s Ball. She became the first woman of color to win the Best Actress award — an accomplishment that sadly hasn’t been repeated at the ceremony since. “I do feel completely heartbroken that there’s no other woman standing next to me in 20 years,” Halle said on ABC News and Hulu’s Screen Queens Rising special, streaming now. “I thought, like everybody else, that night meant a lot of things would change,” she added.

EXCLUSIVE: Production has wrapped on under-the-radar sci-fi-comedy Relax, I’m From The Future, starring Jumanji and Flight Of The Concords actor Rhys Darby and Possessor and Twenties star Gabrielle Graham.

Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s development and production company Hillman Grad Productions has announced the return of its mentorship lab which offers support and opportunities to marginalized creatives.

Angelique Jackson Applications are now open for Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions’ second annual mentorship lab, which provides opportunities for BIPOC creatives in TV and film.The development and production company founded by Waithe and Rishi Rajani is again presenting the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab, an eight-month tuition-free program focused on helping marginalized storytellers connect, grow and accelerate their entertainment careers.In its second year, the lab will be spearheaded by program director Lacy Wright and program advisor Justin Riley, who will handle day-to-day operations under the direction of Hillman Grad CEO Waithe, president of TV and film Rajani and chief operating officer Ericka Pittman. “Since the inception of Hillman Grad, it has been our ultimate goal to break down barriers to entry into Hollywood for new and diverse artists, while also ensuring they are paid for their art,” the Hillman Grad executive team stated.“The program was built around the idea of an informational coffee meeting,” they continued.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAudible has been in the audio-content biz for more than 20 years. Now, amid the recent podcast explosion, the Amazon-owned premium audio storytelling platform is aggressively investing in original and exclusive content — including a burgeoning slate from high-profile Hollywood talent.On the latest episode of Variety’s “Strictly Business” podcast — it’s a meta podcast about podcasts! — Rachel Ghiazza, EVP, and head of U.S.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterTrailblazing host and producer B. Scott has signed with WME in all areas, Variety has learned exclusively.Last March, the longtime media personality became the first out, trans non-binary personality in the history of BET. They anchor and executive produce an after-show companion to the network original “Twenties,” created by Lena Waithe.B.

Comedian, game show host and three-time Emmy winner Louie Anderson has died at the age of 68.

There’s an all-new preview for Disney+’s upcoming series “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” and it gives us our best look at some of the show’s queer characters yet.

John Legend's newest project brings him into the book business.Legend, Tony Award-winning producer Mike Jackson and Emmy Award-winner Ty Stiklorius are partnering with the publisher Zando for a new imprint, Get Lifted Books, an extension of the production company Get Lifted Film.Zando, an independent company founded last year by former Crown publisher Molly Stern, also has formed imprints with actor-producer Lena Waithe and “Gone Girl” novelist Gillian Flynn.“Get Lifted Film Co.

Leading job site Indeed announced today that it is extending its partnership with Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Master of None, Twenties) and her company Hillman Grad productions to further invest in BIPOC filmmakers via the Rising Voices initiative. Heading into the second cycle of the program established in February, it will triple its original investment, pouring $3 million into another filmmaker residency program, as part of its commitment to bolstering underrepresented talent and their stories.

When talking about the greatest sports documentaries of all time, there’s no denying 1994’s “Hoop Dreams” would rank very highly. Honestly, many would consider Steve James’ basketball film one of the best docs, period.

Lena Waithe has signed a big exclusive overall deal with Warner Bros. Television Group. The studio landed the producer, actor and Emmy-winning writer and her Hillman Grad Productions in a very competitive situation.

BET has renewed Tyler Perry’s Sistas for a fourth season.

Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington are honoring the iconic Rita Moreno!

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterVariety has a first look at “Twenties After-Show With B. Scott,” a new companion series attached to BET’s original series “Twenties” from Lena Waithe.Announced in March, the show elevates media personality B.

Halle Berry is wishing her son a happy birthday.

NEW YORK -- “Gone Girl” author Gillian Flynn is a familiar name on bestseller lists, but her personal reading tastes run to books most haven't heard about.“I start every conversation about books with 'What's the weirdest things you've read this year? What's the book that you read and later thought, what the hell was that? What an interesting, quirkly little book,'" she told The Associated Press during a recent Zoom interview.Flynn will now be using her judgment in a more official role.

Zando, the independent publisher with a stated mission to collaborate with influential creators, authors, platforms, and institutions to acquire and publish titles under their own imprints, has named Lena Waithe and Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn as its first founding publishing partners.

Lena Waithe’s Twenties will return for its second season on BET next month with a new after-show hosted by B. Scott.

Twenties” aftershow hosted by B. Scott, the first trans-nonbinary person to host and executive produce a show at BET, “will provide candid commentary and insights into some of the characters’ mishaps and successes” as B.

Selome Hailu editorDisney Plus released a new list of voice actors added to the cast of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” premiering in 2022.Among the new stars added to the cast of the revival of “The Proud Family” are Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper, Normani, Leslie Odom Jr., Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Anthony Anderson, Gabrielle Union, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Courtney B.

“The Proud Family” is getting some major star power for its Disney+ revival.

Disney+ revival.Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Tiffany Haddish, Chance the Rapper, Gabrielle Union, Normani, Tina Knowles, Eva Longoria and Anthony Anderson will join the upcoming series, as voice guest stars, Disney+ announced Wednesday.They'll be joined by a slew of familiar names such as Leslie Odom Jr., Lena Waithe, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Courtney B.

Disney+ has set a stacked cast of guest stars and new recurring talent for The Proud Family revival Louder and Prouder, in commemoration of the original animated series’ 20th anniversary.

EXCLUSIVE: Dear White People alumna Nia Jervier is set for a recurring role on the upcoming second season of Lena Waithe’s popular BET series Twenties.