castings

Lena Waithe Joins Dear White People As Reality-Show Rapper

Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Vulture Festival

Lena Waithe helped bring Dear White People into this world by producing Justin Simien’s original film. Now she will appear in the film’s TV adaptation as an outsize MC named P Ninny, according to Entertainment Weekly. Simian describes the character, who will star on a show within the show called Trap-House Tricks, as “Lena if Lena was a hot mess. It’s proto-Lena.” And Waithe adds, “What’s so funny about her is that she’s not aware of how she’s coming off to the world. But, she’s a lot of fun. I just got to be like really silly and crazy, and say crazy stuff, because that’s what happens in that world.” So if you’ve ever wondered what Waithe would be if she starred in Love & Hip Hop, it sounds like your dreams are about to become reality. Maybe one day, if there are enough current fake shows within real shows to choose from, some episode of TV can feature a fake Emmys in which Insecure’s Due North can compete against Dear White People’s Defamation and now Trap-House Tricks. Waithe is a proven Emmy winner, but we’re not counting out Regina Hall, who plays a fierce Ninny of her own.

Lena Waithe Joins Dear White People As Reality-Show Rapper