Lena Waithe and Issa Rae to Star in Friendship Breakup Comedy

Hollywood, CA – Lena Waithe and Issa Rae are teaming up for a new buddy comedy inspired by their real-life friendship. On a recent episode of Bustle’s podcast, Waithe revealed she is developing a film that explores the ups and downs of their relationship, particularly a significant “friendship breakup” between the two. The project promises to be both “funny and silly,” with Waithe taking on the role of writer and producer.

“I’m working on this movie for myself and Issa Rae,” said Waithe. “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.” Originally, she intended to write music beats for Rae, but instead found herself focusing on the script. “I just started writing the script,” she added.

Waithe described the characters in the film as “thinly veiled versions” of themselves, with names like Lena and Issa. She mentioned that they have been discussing the movie over Zoom, working on the concept together. “She and I [were] Zooming and talking and figuring out how it could be, and right now I’m being lazy,” she said.

Throughout their careers, Waithe and Rae have built reputations for storytelling in Black film and television. Waithe is best known for her series “The Chi,” which is wrapping up its eighth and final season, tying it with other notable Showtime shows as the second-longest running series on the network.

The collaboration marks a return for both creators to focus on new and exciting projects. “As for what the future holds, I still plan on telling stories, continuing to build community, and making space for us all to be seen,” said Waithe, demonstrating her commitment to inclusive storytelling.

Fans eagerly await the film’s production, which is set to be both a humorous and intimate exploration of friendship and creativity. Waithe’s words reflect the excitement: “Issa’s going to be like, ‘Oh s***, well now we got to do it.’”