Issa Rae is following in the footsteps of Ava DuVernay and Octavia Spencer. The Emmy-nominated “Insecure” co-creator, star, writer, and exec producer has been named as the recipient of the Producers Guild Awards’ 2022 Visionary Award, which “honors producers across television, film, or new media who share inspiring, uplifting stories that add unique value to society and culture.” Variety confirmed the news.
The fifth and final season of “Insecure,” the first premium cable scripted series created by and starring a Black woman, aired on HBO earlier this year.
Rae launched her career with “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl,” a Shorty Award-winning web series. She released a memoir with the same title in 2015.
“The Photograph,” “Little,” and “The Hate U Give” are among Rae’s other on-screen credits.
A six-time Emmy nominee, Rae has been recognized for her work in “Insecure” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” which she exec produces. The multi-hyphenate signed an eight-figure overall deal with WarnerMedia last year. Her upcoming slate includes “Rap Sh*t,” a comedy about former friends who reunite to form a rap group, and “Nice White Parents,” an adaptation of the popular podcast about the influence of resourced white parents on Black and brown students within the New York public school system.
“Issa makes us excited for the future of television,” said Producers Guild of America presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher. “With her series ‘Insecure,’ she achieved the highest levels of comedy, perspective, and performance possible, and her sharp wit and distinct voice will undoubtedly continue to drive quality entertainment featuring underrepresented voices. Beyond Issa’s prolific work, she is a role model and inspiration to the next generation of creatives through her mentorship programs like ColorCreative, and more recently, ‘Project Greenlight.’ We are thrilled to honor Issa this year.”
The PGA Awards will take place March 19. Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” and Sian Heder’s “CODA” are among the films up for the night’s top honor, the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures.
