If you, like me, were left with literally hundreds of unanswered questions upon finishing the jaw dropping finale of Master of None’s second season – well, I can’t really help you. I too am deeply confused. But, if you’re interested in listening to an acclaimed actress and Emmy-award winning writer from the show, you’re in luck: Lena Waithe is making an appearance at Northwestern.
Waithe will give a talk in Ryan Auditorium on Feb. 15, in an event hosted by the Contemporary Thought Speaker Series, Multi-Cultural Filmmakers Collective, the Northwestern University Women Filmmakers Alliance and Rainbow Alliance. Zina Camblin, a RTVF lecturer, will moderate a conversation with Waithe, which will be followed by a Q&A with students.
In addition to her acting and writing credits on Master of None – an episode of which earned her the Emmy for outstanding writing for a comedy series, making her the first African-American woman to do so – Waithe has worked as a directorial assistant to director Ava Duvernay (13th, Selma), before screenwriting for Bones and Dear White People. Openly gay and noted for speaking up about LGBTQ issues, Waithe was named Artist of the Year by Out magazine in 2017. She is also part of the coalition of Hollywood women who launched the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, where she will focus on issues relating to LGBTQ people and people of color.
A Chicago native who moved to Evanston when she was 12, Waithe is the creator and executive producer of the Showtime television show The Chi, a drama series about life on the South Side. She has also made appearances on This is Us and Transparent, and will appear in Steven Spielberg’s forthcoming film Ready Player One.
Zina Camblin, who will moderate the conversation with Waithe, is an acclaimed writer for the screen and stage. Her play And Her Hair Went With Her was produced across the country and featured at the Tribeca Theatre Festival. For two seasons, she wrote for the sitcom Let’s Stay Together, produced by Queen Latifah. Camblin currently lectures at Northwestern on topics in media writing.
The event will begin at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15. Admission is free, but tickets are required and are available online through Eventbrite. The event is open only to current Northwestern students, faculty and staff.