Issa Rae on 'Insecure,' Comedy and Finding Your Voice
‘GQ’ sits down with the actress.
You probably recognize Issa Rae from the hit TV-series Insecure that debuted in 2016, and is currently right in the middle of shooting its third season. The comedy actress was nominated for a Golden Globe for the second time in the fall for her work on the popular HBO show – and that’s only the beginning. GQ Magazine sat down with Issa Rae to talk everything from starring on the show, to finding your own voice and Sex and the City.
On fame and becoming a well-known name
“I only want to make my presence felt when I feel like it’s necessary,” Rae says in her trailer. “And so much of that is such a hard balance, especially when the narrative is about getting noticed and getting attention for a specific product. And in that way, yeah, I want the eyes to be on what the product is”—meaning Insecure. “But after a while, you become the product.”
On failure
“In order to eventually succeed, you have to bomb.… And I feel like I’m still fearful because I haven’t publicly bombed yet, in terms of my career.”
About the inspiration for Insecure
“[I wanted to create] a story about people of color in a different way…aligning it with the psyche and aligning with what this person is going through, so you just immediately get in and don’t have to explain.”
To read the full interview, head over to GQ. While you’re at it, don’t miss that Issa Rae was named one of TIME Magazine’s Most influential people of 2018 alongside Rihanna, Cardi B and Virgil Abloh, to name a few.
