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Lena Waithe and Issa Rae to Star in Buddy Comedy About Their "Friendship Breakup"
25 Oct
Summary
- Lena Waithe and Issa Rae developing a "funny and silly" movie about their friendship
- Characters will be "thinly-veiled versions" of the two actresses
- Waithe says she and Rae "want to" play themselves in the film
In October 2025, acclaimed actress, producer, and Emmy-winning writer Lena Waithe revealed that she is developing a new movie project with her longtime friend and collaborator, Issa Rae. The two are working on a "funny and silly" buddy comedy inspired by their own "friendship breakup."
Waithe explained that the characters in the film will be "thinly-veiled versions" of herself and Rae. The two actresses plan to star in the movie, playing fictionalized representations of their real-life selves. "Issa's going to be like, 'Oh s***, well now we got to do it,'" Waithe said, indicating that Rae is on board with the idea.
The Chi creator further shared that she had initially started writing the script with the intention of just providing "beats" for Rae. However, Waithe ultimately decided to take on the full script-writing duties herself. She and Rae have been "Zooming and talking and figuring out how it could be" as they collaborate on bringing this unique project to life.
With Waithe's Showtime series The Chi set to conclude its eighth and final season, she is now focused on "continuing to tell stories" and "making space for us all to be seen." This new buddy comedy with Issa Rae appears to be a key part of Waithe's creative plans for the future.
