Issa Rae

Issa Rae (born January 12, 1985, in Los Angeles, California) is an American screen artist known for acting, as well as her work behind the camera as a writer and producer. Also credited as Jo-Issa Rae Diop, she became a defining voice in modern comedy by blending sharp observation with heartfelt storytelling.

Rae first broke through online with the YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, which helped launch her into mainstream entertainment. She later co-created, co-wrote, and starred in HBO’s Insecure (2016–2021), earning major awards attention, including multiple Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations. Her memoir, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, also became a New York Times bestseller, and she went on to expand her creative footprint with her production company, Hoorae Media.

On film, Rae has built a varied résumé, from The Hate U Give and Little to Barbie (as Barbie) and American Fiction (as Sintara Golden). She also joined the Spider-Verse as the voice of Jessica Drew in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Beyond the Spider-Verse, and appears as herself in Insecure: The End.

Recognized as a cultural force, Rae has been named to the Time 100 and Forbes’ 30 Under 30, and has received honors including the Peabody Trailblazer Award and the Producers Guild of America Visionary Award.