Lena Waithe's Wife, Alana Mayo, Files For Divorce
By Liz Walters on November 21, 2020 at 2:03 PM EST
Lena Waithe's wife Alana Mayo has filed for divorce after almost one year of marriage
According to court records obtained by The Blast, earlier this week, Alana filed a petition for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court. The move is a little unsurprising given they announced their split in January.
The breakup shocked everyone with the two having gotten hitched only two months prior. The former couple was together for over three years. Alana’s petition is the first step in becoming legally single.
After they decided to break things off, Lena and Alana announced their split with a joint statement. The message read, "After careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways. We have nothing but support for one another and ask that you respect our privacy during this time." Since Waithe and Mayo's marriage was short-lived, it's unclear if spousal support is on the table or if the ex-couple signed a prenuptial agreement before they decided to tie the knot.
Alana Mayo is no stranger to success in the film and TV industry. She was recently Head of Production and Development for Michael B. Jordan’s studio Outlier Society, and has now joined MGM as the President of Orion Pictures.
After the split, Lena reportedly moved on quickly and started dating actress Cynthia Erivo. Bossip first reported the two were living together in Los Angeles. The reports alleged Lena may have been unfaithful to her wife. The director allegedly was buying other women expensive gifts while with Alana.
Lena Waithe is best known for the film "Ready Player One" and creating the TV series, "The Chi", written by her and produced by rapper Common. Lena was born in Chicago, and she knew at a young age that she wanted to be a television writer. She was cast in the Netflix series "Master of None" after meeting the creator and lead actor Aziz Ansari. In 2017, Lena and Aziz won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the "Master of None" Season 2 Episode "Thanksgiving".
Lena became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy in the category. The Emmy winner has come a long way as a successful writer in a tough business. Before Waithe became famous, she found ways to get her foot in the door in the film and TV industry. She worked at a movie theater, Best Buy, and Blockbuster. In 2006, she transferred her Blockbuster job to Los Angeles to pursue her career.
The screenwriter is set to release her next film "Beauty" starring Niecy Nash and Sharon Stone in 2021.
