Lena Waithe stopped by The Wendy Williams Show to promote Queen & Slim, but during the interview, she also gave an update on how she’s been working on The Chi post-Jason Mitchell’s firing. As Shadow And Act reported in May, Mitchell was fired from The Chi after being accused of workplace misconduct.
When asked by Williams about Mitchell’s firing, Waithe said, “I think these conversations are very nuanced. I think the issue that’s happening is people sort of want [it] to be black and white, people are like, ‘Oh, spill the tea’ or ‘Lena, tell us all the [details].’ I honestly can’t speak to it because I’m not either party.”
She said of Mitchell’s firing that it’s part of the movement to hold people accountable for their behavior and spelled out what she’s doing to make The Chi set, and her other sets, safer.
“…There’s a reckoning that’s happening in the industry and we really have to change our behavior and that’s why for me, as a person in charge, as the person who created the show, I said, ‘How can we make sure not just our set is safer, but every set in Hollywood [is safer]?” she said. “…We have intimacy coordinators now on every set that I have. I’m obviously still very involved with Time’s Up and all those ladies have been working with me and I’ve been working with them about how to make sure every set is safe, and intimacy coordinators [are] a new thing where you have someone on set who’s there literally to be a liaison.”
When Williams asked her if she would hire Mitchell again, she gave an answer that didn’t close the door on the possibility.
“That’s also something I can’t speak to because I haven’t seen how this whole thing has kinda played out yet,” she said. “I think I have to sort of give it time and again be a good boss and make sure I’m doing all the vetting and all the work I have to do to ensure that my sets are safe. That’s what we all have to do.”
Check out her comments in full in the video below.
READ MORE:
Jason Mitchell Dropped From ‘The Chi,’ Upcoming Netflix Film And More After Misconduct Allegations
Photo: Getty Images
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