We need to talk about the queen and icon that is Issa Rae.
Star and producer of HBO’s hit Insecure (a show about a slightly awkward, contemporary black woman navigating the world), Rae has blossomed into the spotlight of stardom and made quite the name for herself. With Insecure set to air its third season this August, by all counts, Rae is flourishing. Blessed with brains, beauty and killer hilarity, the actress is undeniably deserving of the two Golden Globe nominations (give her that win!) under her belt.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Rae commented on her process of self-discovery and confidence. “I’m for sure confident when it comes to work and trying to fulfill my dreams,” she said. “Socially the confidence has teetered, but that’s growing as I’m coming into who I am.”
Rae also emphasized her desire to see more women of color, specifically dark-skinned women, in front of the camera. She makes note of the troubling reality that, within modern media, “You don’t see a lot of dark-skin representation. That’s been overlooked.”
Reminiscent of Rae’s point is Amandla Stenberg’s recent reveal of their choice not to secure a role in the latest blockbuster hit and cultural phenomenon, Black Panther. Stenberg exited the audition process for role of Shuri, the brilliant sister of the film’s protagonist T’Challa, in hopes that the part would be given to a darker-skinned actor. Stenberg acknowledges, “That was really challenging, to make that decision, but I have no regrets. I recognize 100 percent that there are spaces that I should not take up…”
As of late, women of color have begun being showcased in more powerful and non-stereotyped roles than ever before (i.e. Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright in Black Panther and Gabrielle Union Wade in Breaking In). Though there is still much significant room for improvement in the representation of WOC, (thanks to the voices of Rae, Stenberg and others within the industry), the topic of increasing on-screen diversity is finally coming to the forefront.