Born off of Issa Rae’s YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, Insecure made its debut on HBO in October of 2016. The show has run for five seasons and is currently in its last leg. By starring on it, Rae and her co-stars earned themselves a staunch African-American following, many of who are sad to see the show come to an end.
According to Rae, she didn’t know how much of an impact Insecure had on the culture until it was announced that the show would be ending. “ It was just, like, all the love…It made me emotional,” she explained. The final episode of Insecure is set to air in December, marking the end of an era. That is not the last we’ll see of the cast. Here’s where you can catch some of them next.
8 Issa Rae Will Be In The 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Sequel
Issa Rae is not only the creator of Insecure. She’s a cast member, who has two Golden Globe Awards and Primetime Emmy nominations for her performance on the show. Much of the show’s concept was drawn from her own experience and the need to create characters with which African-American communities could relate. In 2022, Issa Rae is set to voice Jessica Drew on a yet-to-be-named Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel. Rae will also appear in Vengeance, whose release date is yet to be announced. Rae is working on a new series for HBO dubbed Rap Sh*t, whose debut date hasn’t been announced.
7 Yvonne Orji Starred In 'Vacation Friends'
For her role as Molly on Insecure, Yvonne Orji not only earned herself an Emmy nomination, she also bagged three NAACP Image Award nominations. In August, Orji co-starred in Vacation Friends, whose cast also includes John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, and Lynn Whitefield. In September, it was announced that the film would have a sequel in which the main cast members are set to return. 2021 has been a busy year for Orji, with her joining the long list of guest hosts of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and also set to host a variety special at HBO.
6 Jay Ellis Will Be In 'Top Gun: Maverick'
Prior to taking on acting as a career, Jay Ellis was a model. Ellis began his career by appearing on numerous television shows, including The Bold and the Beautiful, and Grey’s Anatomy. He has come a long way from his single-episode days and achieved recognition for being on Insecure since its inception. Ellis will be appearing in Top Gun: Maverick, which he has wrapped up filming. He will also have a role in Somebody I Used to Know, whose release date has not been announced yet.
5 Natasha Rothwell Will Be In 'Wonka'
After working as a writer, a cast member of the series, and a supervising producer, Natasha Rothwell will be making a comeback on HBO, this time as the lead of her own show. On the big screen, Rothwell is set to play the role of Rachel in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. She will also make an appearance in Wonka, which won’t be released until 2023.
4 Amanda Seales Hosts The 'Small Doses' Podcast
At 40, Amanda Seals is a jack of all trades. The all-around comedian does it all and is not stopping soon. In the past, she has released a comedy special dubbed I Be Knowin, and, in between appearing on Insecure, released Smart, Funny & Black, a comedy game show. Seales is currently using a different platform, Patreon, to share her content. She is the host of the Small Doses podcast, named after her book that has a similar name.
3 Y’lan Noel Will Be In 'The Spook Who Sat by the Door'
Besides his role as Daniel King on Insecure, which made him a familiar face, Noel has made appearances in several films, his most recent one being The Photograph, in which fellow castmate Issa Rae plays the leading role. In the film, Noel plays a young Isaac Jefferson. Following the ending of Insecure, we are to see Noel next on The Spook Who Sat by the Door, where he portrays the role of Dan Freeman.
2 Alexander Hodge Will Be In A New Adele Lim Comedy
Famed for his appearance as Andrew, Alexander Hodge is slowly becoming a common face on television, making appearances on Modern Family, High Maintenance, Law & Order, and Tommy. In October, it was announced that Hodge will be making an appearance in an Adele Lim comedy being developed for Lionsgate. The said production is yet to be named.
1 Kendrick Sampson Says Being On 'Insecure' Was The Greatest Privilege Of His Life
Kendrick Sampson calls playing the role of Nathan the greatest privilege of his life. In a post on Instagram, the actor wrote in part: “To embody the essence of someone from my hometown, Houston, who deals with moving to a new city, mental health struggles, love, etc. is the greatest privilege. AND to have a platform/career built on THAT - THEN to use my platform to speak about the things Black people NEED and get paid to do it - AND have cast, crew, and producers who share those values - the words don’t exist in the English language- to express how grateful I am and how powerful that is.” Sampson’s thoughts are, in many ways, a nod to Issa Rae’s original goal: telling relatable African-American stories. As to what projects Sampson is moving onto, he has not yet given a reveal. But it’s only a matter of time before he drops good news like the rest of the cast.
