Lena Waithe Series ‘The Chi’ Begins Filming Season 5 This Week in Chicago

Television production is picking back up in the Windy City. Critically acclaimed Showtime series The Chi will get to work on Season Five this week. Filming is set to begin this Wednesday, January 19th. The series is expected to wrap on or near May 12th. The Chi is created by Emmy winning Chicagoan Lena Waithe; Waithe is joined as executive producer on the series by Grammy and Oscar winning Chicago rapper and social activist Common.

Showtime’s renewal of The Chi for a fifth season was announced last August to the delight of fans and the many Chicagoans working tirelessly on the series. Here’s a quick look back at the announcement…

The Chi centers on a fateful turn of events that sends shockwaves through a community on the Southside of Chicago and connects the lives of Emmett, Brandon, Ronnie and Kevin in unexpected ways. The cast is led by Jacob Latimore, Alex Hibbert, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Curtiss Cook, Luke James and Birgundi Baker.

Executive Producers for The Chi alongside Lena Waithe and Common include Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa (who directed the pilot where it all began), Derek Dudley, Shelby Stone, Rishi Rajani, Justin Hillian.

Here’s a look at the teaser for the fourth season, which you can watch now on Showtime…

Catch up on the first four seasons of The Chi by clicking here.

Be sure to check back here at SCREEN Magazine for the latest on The Chi. You can also click right here to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.