Issa Rae is speaking candidly about where Hollywood stands on diversity, equity, and inclusion—and she’s not holding back.
During TheWrap’s Creators x Hollywood Summit, the Insecure creator addressed what she describes as a growing “identity crisis” in the entertainment industry, saying DEI has become something executives now actively avoid in conversations and decision-making.
“I’m seeing it. Just blatantly,” Rae said. “People aren’t investing like they were before. [DEI] has changed meanings and has become a bad word.”
Rae explained that while progress was made following the success of projects like Insecure, she believes Hollywood is now pulling back on its commitment to telling diverse stories in a meaningful way. According to her, creators are being forced to repackage projects in ways that downplay identity in order to get them greenlit.
“You tell them, ‘It’s not a show about a Black woman, it’s a show about class,’” she said. “As icky as that might feel, it gets the show sold.”
The multi-hyphenate also reflected on her early career roots in digital storytelling with Awkward Black Girl, revealing she ultimately turned down a traditional TV adaptation of the web series.
Rae said the pitch included recasting the entire show with celebrity actors—even replacing her—something she immediately rejected.
“They talked about recasting everyone, including me, with celebrities, so that was an easy no thank you,” she said.
She added that the original vision of Awkward Black Girl would’ve been lost in translation if it had been reworked through a traditional Hollywood lens, especially without the authenticity of its original cast and creator-led direction.
Rae also pointed to what she sees as an increasing reliance on social media creators as Hollywood struggles to discover new voices, calling it a symptom of the industry’s current uncertainty.
“I feel like Hollywood is in an identity crisis right now,” she said. “They’ve turned to creators and social media in an attempt to bring them into the system.”
Despite the shifting landscape, Rae emphasized that her company Hoorae Media remains committed to inclusive storytelling, even if the strategy behind getting projects sold has had to evolve.