Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
The following interview contains spoilers for the series finale ofInsecure.
Even for some members oftheInsecurewriters room, the precise emotional turns ofthe series finalewould be a surprise.
I went on my own journey as I filmed the season and lived as Issa Dee, says Rae.
And I decided that I wanted a different ending that paid tribute to the season as a whole.
I was curious about what that was.[Laughs.]
I have a guess.You have to guess.
I think over time, her defenses broke and she was like,Okay.
But I dont know maybe she didnt!
But I love it.
Weve seen Molly struggle with explaining her career and work obligations to love interests.
Weve seen her be overzealous.
And they have such great chemistry that it felt right.
Its very vivid in my mind, but you have to ask her.
Pour her a drink and ask.
Why not?In Mirror Issas words, I thought she was being a dumb bitch.
I didnt think it was gonna work.
And I realized deep down that I did want them to be together.
She would give it a solid chance.
This is her person.
What was the lay of the conversation in the writers room?We were pretty split.
Everybody had their own ideas.
I mean, we all thought of ways it could work and ways it wouldnt.
Some people were very adamant that they should not be together.
And these were just circumstances that happened you know, him having a baby with someone else.
I think she was right to take a break from him.
And if it doesnt work out, at least you could say youve really given it a shot.
The last time we saw them give it a shot, they were interrupted.
The romantic in me wanted that for them.
The brief bliss they shared.
And the fact that she was ready to move to San Francisco for him.
She was ready to uproot her life.
I think everything happens for a reason.
Sometimes we put so much weight on these decisions of love interests.
That was part of her journey, but it wasnt her entire journey.
The most important choice shes making is to be happy with who she is and where shes going.
To be secure in what her flaws are.
This is a journey of being uncomfortable with the uncertain, and were watching her do just that.
How do you relate to that?Oh, God.
What is Issa to you?
So much of it overlaps with who I am and who Ive become.
The journeys are different, but where we are is very similar.
I have nothing figured out yet, but I have just enough to be confident where Im going.
Is it that you get to do it onscreen through a character in some ways?[Laughs.]
Definitely, definitely that.
What was the reaction like at thetable read for the finale?There were tears.
We were all very aware of the fact that this was the last table read wed ever have together.
But I remember being like,Uh-uh, I need to rewrite some of the script.
Some of this didnt hit the way I want it to.
Before, Lawrence just showed up at the wedding.
So you were just gonna raw-dog it.[Laughs.]
I mean, thats pretty standard for us, so it wouldve been on brand.
My understanding is that the finale you shot differed a lot from the original idea.
And it is sad when we cant make that happen.
There was something beautiful in following that.
But I wanted to see Molly get her dream wedding.
To see Molly and Taurean just be great together.
It was so much fun to shoot, and everybody looked beautiful.
Of course, Mollys mom passing was another thing that progressed as we were writing.
And she has a revelation of her own that she can change her mind.
She can decide whats best for her, and thats just fine.
Maybe what I thought I knew the entire time wasnt necessarily true.
And I can be fine with just deciding,Never mind.
That day, I had a very early call time.
And Yvonne was fine all day; she was great, and I was like,Maybe Im tripping.
This is a happy day, and Yvonnes really keeping it together.
And I was vindicated, I was like,Aah!
You feel it too!And she was like, Dont do this right now.
So then when we did the rehearsal, we couldnt even say the words.
Because the words were true about me and Yvonne too.
I almost didnt want to do the rehearsal.
You know, lets save this, but we had to kind of run it.
And it was just so somber.
And then during the scene, we do coverage.
Yvonne goes first, and Im all crying during her take.
And theres a point where youre kind of cried out.
Yvonne is such a beautiful speaker and such a generous person.
It just gutted me by the time we yelled cut.
And that was the very last take, and we came out and said good-bye to everyone.
What did she say?Im gonna cry thinking about it.
She was basically like, Thank you for seeing me and for taking a chance on me.
You didnt have to, but you did, and Im better for it.
That statement really resonates with the core relationship ofInsecure.
And its such a tremendous loss.
She felt so fully formed in a way that one can only dream to be.
And so raw and honest.
I think so much of what we attempt to do is the same.
I wouldnt compareInsecurein any way to the works of bell hooks.
Love takes work.Yes, it does.
Its always been a show about growth.
Episode eighthas Issa Dee imagining the paths different decisions might take her down.
Are there pivotal decisions youve made in the past that you still dwell on?Hell.
And they keep me up; they scare the shit out of me.
That episode was very close to me.
It is one of my favorite episodes because its a state I live in.
I like to think Im on the right path, but its really terrifying.
Its the road less traveled, its the path not taken, its the what-couldve-been, the what-if.
And from the pilot, Issa lives in the what-if.
And recognizing that I have so many more choices to make.
Can you give me an example?Its gonna sound so stupid and Lauren Conrad ofThe Hills.
I really wanted to go, and I got admitted last minute.
And so I had to choose whether or not to wait.
Or do I stay in L.A. and hopefully I get selected?
I didnt go to Paris, and we werent Sundance finalists.
And so I was always like,What the fuck!
What would have been?But ultimately that led to me continuing to create.
I ended up taking time off of school, came back harder, created my first web series.
And then even the decision to come back to L.A. from New York.
How do you know youre on the right path?Im very in tune with what makes me happy.
So I am rarely unhappy.
And thats kind of my barometer.
How do you get in touch with that part of yourself?Im not a guru.
Ive never really thought about it or questioned it.
And I kinda dont want to!
It might be better not to futz with it!You know, if it aint broke.
Molly thinks its funny now.
She can own it.
And you know, this is the acceptable pussy break.
I have a man and a husband that broke my pussy.
Its not a sad broken pussy.
Its a happy broken pussy.
Is there any way she can come read it?
And she happily did.
She was just off-screen talking to me on the phone, and it made a world of a difference.
Did you ever consider bringing back Daniel somehow?We talked about bringing him back in the final season.
Theres about three Daniel lovers in the room, myself included.
And the rest of the haters as I like to call them shut it down.
It didnt make sense for him to come back.
But everybody doesnt see it for him.
Just fine men everywhere who keep coming back?
That does not happen.
So that shut it down.
And who actually love these characters.
I think if you love these characters, then youll feel satisfied by the finale.
But, yeah, Im just Im so happy that people are taking this show into their heart.
Do you feel like that long development period was ultimately good then?Hell, yes.
Because it made me tap deeper into myself.
Everything happened the way it was supposed to with time.
How do you feel like youve changed since starting the show?I feel secure.
Its so corny, but I do.
Issa Dee has worn her heart on her sleeve in a way that has inspired me.
But to me, its made me more vulnerable.
Are there any other plotlines you wish you could have done?Yeah, actually.
And deciding to or not to.
They can be like,Yeah, Im 53, its time to have kids.
And we really have a time to decide.
And theres such a pressure in the back of your mind of having to decide.
Thats something I wish we were able to explore.
Maybe well explore it with something else.
As in a different show?Maybe.
Or Ill explore in real life.
Okay!I am exploring in real life.
I mean, well see.
