Okay, Issa Rae is going into her sci-fi bag. The Insecure creator is set to star in an upcoming episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror, adding her signature charm to the anthology series’ seventh season. The episode, Hotel Reverie, explores the blurred lines between reality and artificial storytelling in Hollywood.
So basically, Rae plays Brandy, an ambitious actress eager to break free from typecasting and land her defining role. Her journey is surreal when a producer (played by Awkwafina) recruits her to star in a high-tech remake of a classic romance film. Using cutting-edge immersive technology, Brandy enters a digital recreation of the original movie—but there’s a catch: she must follow the script precisely if she hopes to return to the real world.
Check out Issa, who is giving the rundown on the gram below.
The Insecure creator and star found the storyline deeply relatable, reflecting on Hollywood’s current creative challenges.
“I related tremendously to it. It feels like Hollywood is at this weird standstill where it doesn’t know which direction to go and beyond what’s familiar territory,” Rae shared. “So, in that way, it feels like it’s placing all of us as creatives in this box.”
Get this, her character, Brandy, embodies the struggle many artists face in an industry resistant to change. “Brandy just wants to be outside of this box, desperately to take risks, to be seen, to be seen differently, to feel differently,” Rae explained. “She’s craving for excitement that she’s not getting in her real life, which obviously prompts her to take this big risk.”
What’s more, the star-studded episode also features Harriet Walter and Emma Corrin, promising a thought-provoking take on fame, creativity, and the dangers of chasing perfection. Fans won’t want to miss Rae’s gripping performance when Black Mirror returns.