Lena Waithe Quotes

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Lena Waithe

Profession : Actress

Birth : May 17, 1984

I never had everything I wanted, but I never wanted for anything.

Lena Waithe

The cool thing about dope black style becoming in style is that the industry has no choice but to try and reduplicate that.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

Being on Netflix lets us be experimental. We can do crazy things.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

I'm a big fan of Nora Ephron, who believed everything is copy, and I agree.

Lena Waithe

I never thought I would write about Chicago, and I definitely never thought I would write a drama.

Lena Waithe

Maybe some young girl seeing me on the Emmy stage may have meant something for them.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

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.

Lena Waithe

I love Sarah Jessica Parker. What's not to like?

Lena Waithe