LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 23: Tristen J. Winger, Leonard Robinson, Jidenna Mobisson, … [+]
Photo Credit: Vivien Killilea Best/Getty Images
It’s the end of an era. The first episode of the final season of HBO’s Insecure premiered last night. Still undeniably the impact of Issa Rae and Insecure will influence television for years to come. At least that’s Issa Rae’s hope when it comes to diversity and inclusion in television.
Insecure—It’s the show that depicted just how enthralling black ordinariness can be. And also how funny it can be. Insecure chronicles the life of an awkward black girl— Issa as she navigates the struggles of everyday life—like boyfriend drama, friendship ups and downs, and work life balance in South Los Angeles. Loosely based on Issa Rae’s life—Insecure wasn’t at all how audiences were accustomed to seeing black characters. But now after five successful seasons it has set a new standard in television.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 23: Issa Rae attends HBO Celebrates The Final Season Of ‘Insecure’ … [+]
Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for HBO)
Credited as being the first black woman to create and star in a premium cable series, Rae created a movement, when she she told an Emmy’s red carpet reporter “I’m rooting for everybody Black.” Rae has lived up to that idiom. Whether on-screen or behind the camera, Rae has empowered an entire new crop of creatives of color; championing black owned business, music artists, directors, producers and more with one groundbreaking show—Insecure.
In tandem with ‘rooting for everybody black’, Rae and the Insecure cast celebrated the launch of the final season of Insecure by lauding all things black at the annual Insecure Fest. The day, hosted by Crissle & Fran (Insecuritea Podcast) featured sounds by DJ R-Tistic, and a local Black-owned marketplace and food vendors. There were also surprise musical performances from Jazmine Sullivan, Schoolboy Q, Duckwrth, Flo Milli and Kamaiyah,
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 23: Flo Milli performs at HBO Celebrates The Final Season Of … [+]
Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for HBO)
Festival goers took part in an exclusive screening of the new season of ‘Insecure’, and of course the cast came out to celebrate including Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales, Kendrick Sampson, Leonard Robinson and Courtney Taylor.
It’s surreal and a bit of a sore point for Insecure fans on twitter who voiced their upset. Still after five career-making years, Insecure is coming to an end. Still it’s a new beginning for Rae who inked an overall deal with WarnerMedia that’s valued at $40 million over five years and gives HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros. television exclusive rights to Rae’s work in television, along with a first-look film deal that spans WarnerMedia brands; Warner Bros. Pictures Group, New Line and HBO Max. So Insecure lovers can expect a lot more from Rae under the HBO/ Warner Media Umbrella
Watch Insecure’s fifth and final season on HBO every Sunday or stream on HBO Max.
