Issa Rae gives newcomers a hand
Issa Rae remembers what life was like when she was starting out in Hollywood: no money and just hoping for a chance to be discovered.
“It was about, ‘I just want the exposure. I need the right person to see me and see my work,’ and I feel like I can deliver from there,” she said. “And then it was, ‘I’m broke as hell.’ If I could just have a certain amount of money to help me continue to do my work, then I’d be good.”
It was a decade ago that the first episode of her viral webseries “Awkward Black Girl” launched. She ran out of money, then was saved by a Kickstarter campaign.
So Rae, now an aspiring entertainment mogul with her Hoorae production company, wants to lighten the load for others hoping to climb the entertainment ladder.
She’s teaming up with LIFEWTR, PepsiCo’s bottled water product line, and its “Life Unseen” campaign. They’re hoping to shed light on 20 up-and-coming creatives in fashion, film, music and visual art from underrepresented communities.
Their content will be featured at LIFEWTR. com and their individual artwork will also be displayed on a collection of 20 bottles. There’s also a #LifeUnseenContest on Instagram that includes a chance for five more artists to be mentored by Rae and provided $10,000 each for future projects.
“It’s always been a mission to make sure that people have a place within this industry,” said “Insecure” creator and star Rae. “It’s about opening the door, and even the talent that we selected, we hope that that will be their mission as well.”
The campaign aligns with what Rae already does: extending her hand to pull others up. Industry colleagues and co-workers often sing her praises for offering opportunities in what’s perceived as a ruthless industry. Last season on “Insecure,” she tapped several young directors to lead episodes.
“If you have the opportunity to give people the chance that they’re looking for, then why not provide that opportunity? I have nothing to lose, and I have only things to gain by watching passionate people deliver,” said Rae.
Rooting for others to succeed has been Rae’s mantra. Her viral “I’m rooting for everybody Black” response during a 2017 Emmys red carpet interview was something she said off the cuff and is now found on T-shirts, stickers, pins and other trinkets.
“I still think about leaving the carpet that day and my publicist being like, ‘Oh my God, you’re everywhere!’ And I was like, ‘They didn’t like the dress?’ ” she said. “‘Then she told me, ‘Oh, no, everybody’s saying this phrase.’ ”
With magazine cover shoots and red carpet looks, Rae is far from those early lean years despite still hustling like one. So what would she go back and tell that awkward Black girl? “She should not be afraid to dream big and to possibly dream even bigger,” said Rae. “And you’re still going to be awkward, so just embrace it.”
April 25 birthdays: Actor Al Pacino is 81. Judge Len Goodman is 77. Actor Talia Shire is 75. Actor Jeffrey DeMunn is 74. Actor Hank Azaria is 57. Guitarist Rory Feek is 56. TV host Jane Clayson is 54. Actor Gina Torres is 52. Actor Renee Zellweger is 52. Actor Jason Lee is 51. Actor Marguerite Moreau is 44.