All the writers for 'The Chi,' they're all phenomenal, so I'm just working on projects with them. They have great scripts.
— Lena Waithe
When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a little out of touch. I think we've seen it happen with certain artists... people can't touch them; they're not touching people. They're only touching people in their circle.
It was a symbolic moment when 'Moonlight' literally took the Oscar out of 'La La Land's' hand.
To be yourself is truly a revolutionary act, and I think more and more people should try it, because it's gotten me a pretty cool life.
I got into the business because I love writing. When it came down to finding my voice, which every writer has to take time to do, I think I realized I write black people very well. I write us in a very honest way, and I want to hear the way we really talk.
I actually don't like saying 'lead character,' which is an interesting thing. If you say there's a lead, then there has to be someone to follow.
It took me forever to leave Chicago. I went to Columbia College because I wasn't ready to leave! My professors had to kick me in the pants to move to Los Angeles.
I've never been a person that has had fear of, like, 'Oh, I don't want to be the poster child for all black lesbian women.' I don't know. I want to be someone in the public eye that they can be proud of.
I've known I was gay since I was young, I think. And I mean young - like, young - like 5 or 6. I think most gay people or queer people know there's something different about them very early, but I didn't know what to call it.
Maybe some young girl seeing me on the Emmy stage may have meant something for them.
I'm a huge fan of television, and the reason I'm a part of the world is because I'm a fan of it.
My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?
Being on Netflix lets us be experimental. We can do crazy things.
The cool thing about dope black style becoming in style is that the industry has no choice but to try and reduplicate that.
With 'The Chi,' it's me observing my own city and also pulling some things from themes I've dealt with in my life.
I wrote 'Twenties' back in 2009. I always wanted to tell a story where a queer black woman was the protagonist, and I'm so grateful to TBS for giving me a platform to tell this story.
Even white people are tired of watching white people's shows.
There's so many other talented women of color who write funny things every day, and I want them to be recognized, I want them to have a seat at the table because we're out here.
I don't want to be white. I don't want to be straight. I don't want to blend in.
I don't need an Emmy to tell me to go to work. I've been working.
I'm very grateful that I'm the kind of actor where I'm not some character actor. I can't disappear into a world.
I'm a black woman, so I'm obviously not going to write something where women aren't at the forefront.
Every black man in Chicago walks through the world differently, and I think what young black boys do is observe, and that's what gives them their road map.
I love Sarah Jessica Parker. What's not to like?
I was such a fan of Aziz. I watched 'Parks and Rec' like every other self-respecting hipster and loved his character so much and just thought he was so interesting.
I think, to me, I always want to tell the truth. I never want to sugarcoat things. I've never been accused of pulling punches.
I never thought I would write about Chicago, and I definitely never thought I would write a drama.
As a black woman in the industry, you really do have to hold your head higher, stick your chest out, be kind and polite and generous even when you don't want to be sometimes. I learned that and, also, just to never take no for an answer.
For me, it's about making art that's not good but phenomenal. James Baldwin didn't want to just stay above the fray. Prince didn't think, 'I wonder what the industry is gonna think about 'Purple Rain.'' It's just, is this honest? Is this real? Does this move me? The rest is icing.
I think once 'Empire' hit, there was a lot of bad black TV that followed, because we work in the business of hit-seekers and copycats, so they're like, 'Oh this is a show about black people; this is about music, OK let's do a version of that.' And, of course, it doesn't work because it's not organic.
I never had everything I wanted, but I never wanted for anything.
I'm writing my story so that others might see fragments of themselves.
People always go, 'Damn, how you got all this happening at once?' I tell them it's the Chicago in me.
The things that make us different, those are our superpowers.
I never want to feel too far away from people. I think that's when you get in trouble.
You have to write and develop and wait for the world to catch up to your art.
The thing for me is to always tell the truth. Not to preach, but to tell the truth.
I feel like I wanna have a series of moments. It's scary when they say you're having a moment, because moments are momentary.
I think it's so trite to say you have lead characters. It's like someone saying I'm the lead in my life.
Like 'Sex and the City' - if you're a New Yorker, you knew half the places they were going to. I want 'The Chi' to feel that way as well.
I just really want be proud of the work I'm doing, whether it's something I've written, produced, or am starring in. I just want to be proud of it.
I loved 'The Wizard Of Oz.' It was, like, you know how some kids, they're crying, and they put on - people put on 'Frozen' to get them to chill and just be quiet? For my family, it was 'The Wizard Of Oz.' They would literally tell babysitters, if she gets - like, if she starts misbehaving or she starts acting crazy, just put 'The Wizard Of Oz' on.
I think that for the most part, black people specifically have sort of been used as props in TV shows as a way to move story along or as a way to make things more entertaining.
I'm a big fan of Nora Ephron, who believed everything is copy, and I agree.
I had a lot of great bosses - I worked for Gina Prince-Bythewood for two years, I worked for Ava Duvernay as a PA on her first narrative film, and I worked with Mara Brock Akil, so a lot of wonderful role models.
Things meant to appeal to the masses usually end up appealing to no one.
I love a web series. But to me, it does the girl in Detroit a disservice who just watches television. It does a disservice to the girl on the south side of Chicago who doesn't go online.
I hope that people will say that 'she told the truth, she told her truth, she wasn't afraid to live her truth, and she wasn't afraid to live her truth out loud.' That's what I want my legacy to look like.
Queer black characters have been the sidekick for long enough. It's time for us to finally take the lead.
I'm proud to carry that torch and be like, 'I'm gay! I'm black! Hang your dreams on me. Hang your hopes on me. I'll carry them to the best of my ability.'
