Issa Rae

Issa Rae (born Jo-Issa Rae Diop) is an actress, writer and producer best known for creating and starring in the HBO series Insecure. Born in Los Angeles, Rae spent part of her childhood in Maryland before returning to California. She graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in African and African American Studies. During her time at Stanford, she began producing plays and music videos, laying the groundwork for her creative career.

Rae first gained attention with her YouTube series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl in 2011, which became a viral hit and earned her a Shorty Award in 2012. The series led to opportunities in Hollywood and ultimately paved the way for Insecure, which debuted in 2016 on HBO. The show ran for five seasons and earned Rae multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as both a writer and actress. Beyond Insecure, she has acted in films including The Hate U Give (2018), Little (2019), The Photograph (2020) and Barbie (2023). She has also built Hoorae, a media company supporting diverse creators across television, film and digital platforms.

Rae tied the knot with businessman Louis Diame in 2021, and the two remain largely private about their relationship.