Lena Waithe's Rumored Cheating Scandal With Cynthia Erivo, Explained

Lena Waithe embodies Black excellence and success. The actress and screenwriter has worked on hit shows like "The Chi" and, in 2017, she won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for "Master of None." That same year Waithe announced her engagement to film executive and producer Alana Mayo. The two secretly wed in 2019, and after the announcement, Waithe publicly lauded her wife for being so "amazing" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Yet cheating rumors weren't far behind.

"It was a humbling day, you know, to marry someone so amazing, but also to really appreciate all the work that so many people have put in for us to be able to do that," Waithe said. "Everybody should be able to do that."

But shortly thereafter, in 2020, the two announced they had separated and divorced later that year. The announcement included a joint a statement to People, which did not cite the reason for the breakup, but clarified, "We have nothing but support for one another and ask that you respect our privacy during this time." Before long, the rumor mill began to swirl and people speculated that Waithe was cheating with Broadway star Cynthia Erivo. However, neither Waithe nor her former wife confirmed what contributed to the end of their marriage.

Lena Waithe and Cynthia Erivo first met in 2018 at the annual Met Gala, after which Erivo took to Instagram to gush about "finally [finding] my sis." When the Waithe-Mayo divorce announcement hit, however, Bossip reported that Waithe was consistently unfaithful during her marriage, and moved on with Erivo once she and her wife called it quits.

Neither the Broadway star nor the Emmy award-winner confirmed or denied these reportss, but the two were spotted together so frequently that people believed the rumors to be true. The same year Waithe's marriage came crashing down, she wrote a musical drama called "Talent Show," which starred Erivo. And in 2021, the two were pictured sitting together at a Rhude fashion show. Then, in 2022, the two were seen holding hands at the Alvin Ailey Spirit Gala and Erivo wrote a birthday message to Waithe on Instagram, saying, "Today is when we celebrate a woman whose heart is bigger than the body that houses it. Happy birthday @lenawaithe I...You know the rest!" Many believed Erivo was implying that she loved Waithe.

In 2024, the two attended the Tony Awards and the Paris Olympics together. As of this writing, the two have not verbally confirmed their relationship and Waithe has not made any guest appearances on Erivo's Instagram since the 2022 birthday post.