"For me, my longevity will be opening the door for others."
Issa Rae has built her ever growing entertainment empire on taking a chance on emerging talent—much like Pharrell Williams did when he helped bring her web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, to the mainstream.
In fact, it's what brought Issa and Yvonne Orji together long before their onscreen friendship in Insecure took a turn for the worse during season 4 of the hit HBO series. (Whether you're Team Issa or Team Molly, this is a safe space.)
Before Insecure's 2016 premiere, Issa convinced HBO execs to cast Yvonne—who at that point in her career had never acted—as her character's partner in crime and confidante. Despite the pair's onscreen chemistry, what blossomed behind the camera was a friendship built on trust, honesty and cheering each other on every step of the way.
Both Issa and Yvonne have so much to celebrate going into this coming Sunday's 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards. Insecure's titular star and creator is nominated for Best Comedic Performance, a fitting accolade as the series heads into its fifth and final season.
Issa and Yvonne's greatest accomplishment, however, is the bond they've built off screen.
Need further proof that they're friendship goals? You'll find it in our gallery below:
Tune into the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards at 9 p.m. EST/PST on Sunday, May 16.