Lena Waithe may be wrapping up The Chi with its upcoming final season, but she’s already cooking up her next story — and this one involves Issa Rae.
During her episode of Bustle’s One Nightstand series, the Emmy-winning writer and producer revealed she’s developing a new comedy for herself and Issa Rae to star in — inspired by their own real-life friendship.
“I’m working on this movie for myself and Issa Rae,” Waithe shared. “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.”
Waithe added that the film follows “thinly-veiled versions” of the two, even using their real names: “The characters’ names [are] Lena and Issa — I’m not even being that imaginative about it.”
As for whether they’ll star in it together? “Yeah, we want to,” she teased. “Issa’s going to be like, ‘Oh s***, well now we got to do it.’”
While details remain under wraps, the project would mark a long-awaited creative collaboration between two of the most influential storytellers in Black Hollywood — both known for building communities through their work and redefining representation in front of and behind the camera.
Waithe’s The Chi is currently filming its eighth and final season, while Rae recently wrapped production on her upcoming MRC thriller Good People, Bad Things.
The full One Nightstand interview, where Waithe also discusses her favorite books, is now streaming on YouTube.