Lena Waithe just added another feather to her cap—literally.
The Emmy-winning multi-hyphenate has joined Place to Be, the upcoming drama from director Kornél Mundruczó (Pieces of a Woman). She will share the screen with Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, Pamela Anderson, and Edgar Ramirez in the drama, which is already in production.
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Written by Kata Wéber (Pieces of a Woman), Place to Be follows Brooke (Burstyn), a tough yet warm-hearted woman, and Nelson (Waititi), a scattered divorcee, as they travel from Chicago to New York to return a lost racing pigeon to its rightful owner. Along the way, they’re met with unexpected turns—both on the road and in their personal journeys.
Waithe plays Shy, a pivotal character who aids Brooke in her mission to reunite the pigeon with its home. Meanwhile, Anderson is set to play Brooke’s daughter, who is coming to terms with life after her second marriage while navigating her mother’s next chapter.
Backed by S’YA Concept and supported by the Made in NSW fund, the film is currently in production at Disney Studios in Sydney, Australia. WME Independent is handling international sales.
Place to Be is produced by Jomon Thomas (Monkey Man), Megan Wynn (Together), and Alexander Rodnyansky (Loveless). Executive producers include Natalya Pavchinskaya (S’YA Concept), Stuart Manashil, Pankaj Mamtora (Lonestar Films), Kanesh Mohana Sundaram (GVKM Elephant Pictures), Ashley Levinson, Sam Levinson, Viktoria Petranyi, David Edelstein, and the late Kevin Turen.
Waithe has been keeping busy—both in front of and behind the camera. She recently guest-starred in Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Evelyn Moore, a character with ties to Catherine Fox (Debbie Allen). As the founder of Hillman Grad, her impact extends across film, TV, and theater, with projects like The Chi, Queen & Slim, and Master of None, which earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series—the first Black woman to do so. She also launched her podcast Legacy Talk in late 2024, continuing to push important conversations in Hollywood.