Lena Waithe is continuing her takeover of Hollywood, this time dipping into the audio market. In a just-announced development deal, the screenwriter will be teaming up with Audible, Amazon’s premium audio storytelling service, via her company Hillman Grad Productions.
Founded by Waithe and longtime collaborator Rishi Rajani, Hillman Grad Productions currently helms multiple episodic projects such as The Chi on Showtime, Twenties on BET and Them on Amazon Prime.
Waithe’s first podcast project under the Audible deal will be an original scripted comedy audio series inspired by the life of actress and comedienne Kym Whitley. Currently in production, Kym stars and is executive produced by Whitley herself and will feature stories and anecdotes from her personal life as she navigates motherhood and her Hollywood career.
If you’ll recall, Whitley portrayed Waithe’s loving aunt Joyce on her award-winning ‘Thanksgiving’ episode of Master of None.
“We’re so excited to be expanding into the podcast space in collaboration with Audible and continuing our mission to tell human stories,” shared Waithe and Rajani in a joint statement to Variety. “We are really grateful to Kym, for sharing not only her story but her signature voice with us. Kym Whitley has always been one of the funniest women in the business, and we’re so glad she’s finally going to take center stage!”
In addition to the new podcast deal, Waithe’s Hillman Grad company is in development on new productions at BET; a dramedy series at the BET plus streaming platform entitled Birth of Cool and a new aftershow for Season 2 of Twenties, hosted by popular media personality B. Scott.