No matter how many successful projects you’re juggling, it’s a special feeling when your passion project — your baby — scores a win. Lena Waithe now knows how that feels.
It was not too long ago that I mentioned Twenties, Waithe’s passion project, which initially had a pilot order at TBS. Now, Waithe is extending the relationship she already has with BET (where she executive produces Boomerang), as the cable network is developing the comedy into a full series.
Twenties was created and written by Waithe when she was in her early 20s. The eight-episode, half-hour series follows the adventures of a queer black girl, Hattie, and her two straight best friends, Marie and Nia, who spend most of their days talking ish and chasing their dreams. The comedy, based on Waithe’s YouTube series of the same name, explores friendship, finding love and messing everything up along the way.
The series will be exec produced by Waithe, co-showrunner Susan Fales-Hill (A Different World), Rishi Rajani and Waithe’s manager, Andrew Coles. The series is produced via Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions banner.
Waithe has spoken openly about how much she wanted the YouTube-based comedy she crafted in her 20s to come to television.
“Twenties has been a project I’ve been dreaming about for as long as I can remember. I think a lot of people were interested, but didn’t see the vision,” Waithe explained. “I’m so grateful Scott Mills and Connie Orlando did. I couldn’t be more excited to deepen my relationship with BET. I know audiences have been waiting a long time for this one.”
Mills is president, and Orlando is executive vice president and head of programming at BET.
“BET Networks is thrilled to partner once again with the creative visionary Lena Waithe on both Boomerang and Twenties, as she is without a doubt a leading relevant voice of our generation and a disruptor in her own right,” Orlando said. “BET is committed to the elevation of inclusive and authentic storytelling that viewers continue to expect from the brand.”
I’m certainly excited about Lena’s baby bird finally getting its wings, and I can’t wait to watch.