Tiffany Haddish is on a roll and she’s not stopping.
The newly-minted Groupon spokeswoman recently signed a first-look deal with HBO, is slated to star opposite Kevin Hart in Night School, and had everyone rooting for her while she announced Oscar nominees. She’s also killing in Groupon’s new Super Bowl ads, which combines her trademark humor with her love deals.
ESSENCE spoke to Haddish who dished on a period drama she’s hoping to bring to HBO, working again with Jordan Peele, and possibly doing something with Paul Thomas Anderson.
ESSENCE: It’s exciting to speak with you because you have so much going on, signing a first-look deal with HBO and a ton of other projects. Are there any ideas you’re work-shopping that might be coming to HBO?
Tiffany Haddish: I was in their offices pitching an idea for a show about social media and women and how it affects them. It’s about how we don’t even realize how much it’s affecting us. You know how the first thing you do when you wake up is look at your social media? It’s like you don’t even go to the bathroom first, you just roll over to your phone. So, it’s that and an idea about a young girl dealing with her identity and herself and the images coming through on her phone.
ESSENCE: Okay, now that’s interesting.
TH: I also have this other idea that I would like to do. I don’t know if you’ve heard of this book called Shakespeare’s Dark Lady? I would like to shoot it as a series.
ESSENCE: I’ve never read it, what’s it about?
TH: It’s about a woman named Amelia Bassano, who was Shakespeare’s ghostwriter. She was having an affair with Christopher Marlowe and was a courtesan in the queen’s court and it was all around the same time when Queen Elizabeth I was excommunicating the Blackamoors, like all Black people gotta get out of England. Though, if you worked for the Queen and you were part of the Queen’s court you didn’t have to go. So, Amelia, she was one of those people.
And, did you know that back then women weren’t really allowed to read unless they were a courtesan? Basically, if you were a courtesan you were allowed to read, write. You were allowed to learn different languages because your job was to entertain foreign dignitaries and people that come in or whatever, whether it was with sex or conversation. That was her job.
ESSENCE: This would be the perfect period drama. Who do I talk to at HBO? [Laughs]
TH: It’s kind of a big deal. I read this book and me and my friend have done research. I would like to make that a series.
ESSENCE: So you have this and you’re also working with Jordan Peele, who you worked with on Keanu. What’s next?
TH: Me and Jordan have been talking about all kinds of stuff. You know, I’m on his show The Last O.G. that he’s executive producing. He’s not in it, but I’m working with him. I would like, more so, that we are in front of the camera together. That would be great.
ESSENCE: Did you ever end up linking up with Paul Thomas Anderson after he passed along his phone number?
TH: I got his number and I called him, we’ve talked a couple of times. I’m sure we’re going to work together in some kind of capacity. We’re definitely going to work together; we’ve had some great conversations.
ESSENCE: I have to ask, being the Groupon queen, what are your Valentine’s Day Groupon suggestions?
TH: So, my recommendations for Groupon date [for a couple] is get one for a restaurant. There’s some really great, romantic-type restaurants on there. I would do that. I would also suggest an ‘escape room’ for you and your boo. Then, you’ll know how smart he is, like can he save me? You’ll also see if you guys work [well] together well as a team.
ESSENCE: That’s actually perfect.
TH: It’s good team building and it’s like, does he get on your nerves? Or is he smart? If you’re single, [Laughs] I would suggest you go to the Groupon adult section and pick up your favorite toy.