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In an interview, Lena Waithe mentioned how the current season of The Chi contains a sort of secret homage to Lela Rochon and Whitney Houston. In the social media post, the director spoke about a scene that was created to parallel the legendary moment between Lela Rochon and Whitney Houston around the pool in 1995’s Waiting to Exhale. That makes the tribute an expression of Waithe’s hope to marry Black cinematic history with contemporary storytelling.
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Lena Waithe is not just making television; she is building a bridge: one that connects cultural touchstones of the past to the very stories being told today. In a personal and revealing social media post, the Emmy Award-winning writer and producer shared the decision behind a very specific scene created in the new season of her Showtime banger, The Chi. She added that the scene between the characters played by Birgundi Baker and Hannah Hall was directly referencing the legendary poolside conversation between Lela Rochon and Whitney Houston in Waiting to Exhale.
This isn’t a budget-friendly, watered-down reference. Waithe wanted the costume designer, Mercedes Cook, to reproduce the wardrobe from that exact film moment. But it’s more than the nostalgia of it all. As she explained, it’s really about “carrying the past forward, letting it breathe and live in the today.” It’s an homage to the art that inspired her so much throughout her journey and to incorporate that legacy within the framework of her contemporary work. The interview between Waithe and Rochon could be seen on the Hillman Grad YouTube channel, in partnership with Lemonada Media.
The response in the moment was so appreciative of that. The fans and followers knew instantly because they get the importance of such a deliberate act, and one stated in a beautiful way, “And this is why we love Lena and all that she creates, is, and embodies.” This level of consideration feels an acknowledgment both of the viewers they represent and their cultural history.
A further comment then raised the conversation for the implications of Waithe’s storytelling in The Chi on a broader scale. It was a heartfelt letter, albeit rather long. It thanked Waithe for how in The Chi, Black women were “dignified, as ladies, as mothers, as women who love and are loved.” And that kind of representation is necessary, especially when a handful of disproportionately negative and harmful portrayals in the media stereotype Black women. “You’re giving us permission to see ourselves fully,” the comment read, “and you are shifting that narrative for today and the next generation.” That is a strong witness to the power of purposeful art to affect cultural change that endures.
The love for Waithe was not only directed at the level of the direction. Avalanches of comments glorified Lela Rochon as eternally cool, with one admirer citing another iconic fashion moment in her winter white in Boomerang. The conversation then continued into pieces of advice offered by Rochon in said interview on how to discount with toxic dynamics on set, with a few users praising the countless power-truths, hashtagged #Wisdom, she laid on them: “People will try to get in your head, especially if they find you to be a threat.”
“The guidance is always profound,” added costume designer Mercedes Cook, giving life to the cooperation spirit from which such intricately detailed realities emerge. What becomes immediately clear is how such decisions carry deep cultural meaning for everybody involved-from the director to the entire crew to the viewer-acts of preservation and celebration. This collaborative spirit is a hallmark of Robert Townsend‘s legacy as well.
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Waithe continues to educate and unite generations through her work. With sly nods to classics such as Waiting to Exhale, she cements that the groundbreaking work of Lela Rochon and Whitney Houston will never be lost, but always revered and bequeathed to a newer generation. Our stories are intertwined, and truly, the best new art is deeply rooted in what came before. Her contributions have been recognized with honors such as the Voice for Change award. Furthermore, she recently took time to honor the incredible career of Loretta Devine.
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