Issa Rae on Her Career Bucket List and Role in New ‘Barbie’ Movie

*Issa Rae has revealed what’s on her career bucket list and how she landed a role in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming “Barbie” feature film.

“I still want my studio in South L.A. — that’s at the top of the list,” said Rae about her bucket list in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

The actor, writer and producer is THR’s Equity in Entertainment honoree and she tells the outlet that she would love to do more “ensemble work,” when it comes to acting roles.

“I’m trying to look to play a small piece in a larger story; I love that right now.”

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When it comes to how she landed a role in “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie, Rae explained: “I had a meeting with Greta. I’d met her once before, at the BAFTAs, and really, really loved her. We got to express our love for each other and for Lady Bird and Insecure. That was years ago, and then at this meeting, she was like, “I don’t know if you remember me,” and I was like, “Girl, if you don’t shut up.” She was explaining the Barbie script to me. She was like, “I just need to explain what it is.” And I’ll be 100 percent honest, when she was talking, like, it was entertaining, but I didn’t get it. I was like, “I don’t know what the fuck she was talking about, but whatever it is, I’m excited she’s behind it.” And then reading it was, like, “Oh my God, I love her even more.” And then actually shooting it, it was incredible, one of my favorite experiences.”

Check out additional excerpts from Issa’s conversation with THR below.

As the Equity in Entertainment honoree, what do you think entertainment equity looks like, and has it evolved during your career?

I think it means a level playing field and opportunity for all. “Representation” has been a buzzword that’s been used several, several times, and the industry has thought to give people opportunities, but not necessarily put that into action. It’s been a talking point with nothing to be done until, I felt like, 2020 lit a fire under people’s asses; it’s just been more telling to see who’s continuing to talk that talk and who’s walking it back.

Do you feel there’s a sisterhood among powerful women? Who do you reach out to for advice?

There are women that I admire, that I feel like I could call and should call — I just had that revelation last month. I was like, “There are so many women I know who are going through exactly what I’m going through, why am I not picking up the phone to call them?” I remember talking to America Ferrera once, and we had the best conversation and she was like, “You need to hit up Reese [Witherspoon] or Mindy [Kaling]” and I was like, “I should,” and then still didn’t because I always feel like I’m bothering people. But whenever I do get a chance to catch up with them, I feel more empowered. I feel like, “OK, I’m not crazy, I’m not in this alone.” Maybe in 2023, I’ll be more intentional about reaching out.

How do you find time to mentor others?

Even the times when I’m perusing people’s videos or getting recommendations from others, you just become an actual fan and you want people to have more visibility. It doesn’t feel like mentorship, it feels like, “Oh man, I want everybody to know about you.”

How has it been to see your Insecure cast follow up with such big projects: Jay Ellis in Top Gun: Maverick, Yvonne Orji landing an HBO comedy special, and Natasha Rothwell starring in and co-showrunning Hulu’s How to Die Alone?

It really does feel like “Oh, we’re really out here winning.” We were just texting each other. It’s so hard to connect, Jay’s shooting in Oakland, Yvonne’s traveling, Natasha has her show going — I have to find the text to get her quote correct. She said, “Issa, you never told us running a show was like putting your face in a blender and loving it.” (Laughs.) Leading her own show, her starring vehicle, like that is the dopest thing in the world to me. I’m just really proud to see what everybody else is gravitating toward and to see them killing it.

With so many changes in the industry right now, how do you feel it’s affecting creatives?

When isn’t there [change]? But this in particular feels like nobody knows what’s happening. Everybody’s just at the mercy of all these consolidations and mergers. So many writers are getting the short end of the stick. I know it’s just made me more dedicated to ownership and to making sure that we stay committed to what we’re doing, in terms of being able to open the door for others and keep that door open. That’s the only thing that feels different from decades past, when [there was] this fear of losing diversity and going back to the status quo. There are people with good intentions who are less fearful about speaking up [now], and the democratization of outside voices demanding, “This is what we want to see and we’re going to hold your feet to the fire until you do something about it.”

Read the full Q&A here.

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