INSECURE: THE END (2021) - full transcript

That is a series wrap
on our queen, Issa Rae.

You guys, I am incredibly
humbled and blessed.

- I love you.
- I love you too.

This show has been a part
of the revolution.

The way you showcase
our humanity

and portray us with grace
and accountability,

the way you love your city,

the way you love black people,
in your city, is part of the revolution.

The give and share credit where
it is due is part of the revolution.

The way you created and collaborated
with the intention of our fucked up,

incredible, and beautiful black
full humanity,



baked into the identity and heart
of this show is part of the revolution.

The way you look so damn good,

even when you ashy,

is part of the revolution.

You recognize at all times
that it's a collective effort.

There are no heroes,
we get us free.

With this show
you made big girls feel seen,

you made dark-skinned women
feel seen,

you made toxic black men
feel toxic...

and understood.

You made people realize things
about their mental health.

Together y'all shifted culture,
there is no revolution without art.

INSECURE: THE END

After five successful seasons,



Issa Rae decided to end
her acclaimed comedy.

The fifth and final season shot
for 111 days during the pandemic.

Final table read.

I would've never thought
six years ago, we'd all be here.

Making a show, and not being able
to see people that look like me,

be able to do a show like that here,
that now the groundwork for others,

it's just really special. You don't get
to be a part of those things a lot.

Let's shoot this shit for another
three months guys, season six.

I came into this, not knowing
anything about television

and not feeling confident in my role.
I had a web series and a mentor

who's selfless and has put his ego
aside time and time again,

to make sure I could create the show
I wanted, with the people I wanted.

I'm coming out of this a different
person, a better person.

I hope you guys are too. Thank you
to the love of my life, my brother.

Start of Production:
Season Five

We are back at Stanford shooting
the first episode of the final season

at my Alma Mater, this is crazy.

Stanford has never done this before
and they let us shoot here.

I got mad because I didn't want
the characters to go to Stanford.

Because of a mistake in season one,
we established them as that.

But then we went with it. So, I did not
imagine we'd be back here shooting,

but when we came up with
the reunion, it made sense

and felt meta perfect
for this season.

We're returning to the place
where Issa and Molly became friends.

Okay, here we go.

It feels so good to be back.

It's picking up from last season,
post Issa, Molly fight with them,

on their road to reconciliation.
Things are still awkward,

but you can tell they both want
to be back in that good place.

At Stanford,

I was into theater because
I had been in plays in high school.

Then I got into film, because of
Love & Basketball, specifically.

I wasn't thinking about TV
because TV wasn't that popping.

There wasn't enough representation
and it didn't made me feel like,

"I want to make
what they're making."

I love The Office,
Curb and Seinfeld.

That's what influenced me
to write television later on,

but I never thought
about starring in my own TV show.

Stupid bitch nigger, I hope you drown.
That'll turn my frown upside down.

I heard about Issa Rae, like most
people, seeing her web series.

In "Awkward Black Girl" she showed
what we look for in all of our shows.

We want the audience
to recognize themselves.

On the comedy side, we want them
to be able to laugh in recognition.

Issa showed she was willing
to put herself out there

and mine her own humanity
for laughs.

Call me Lil Kim,

because I got to crush on you,
want to make you my boo,

carpool with you to school.

Be staring at you in geometry,
fantasize about you on top of me,

I'm a virgin, but I promise thee,
I got that ill nana. No foxy.

The development process with HBO
was long, but necessary.

Issa had an initial idea for the show,
we went into HBO,

we pitched it to Amy Gravitt
and Casey Bloys.

It was set in the nonprofit world
and it was about my experiences

and it still was kind of similar
to "Awkward Black Girl",

but I didn't want repeat that.

I was nervous, I was reading
off of the paper in the meeting.

I can't just engage people,
like "Look at my show"!

I was like,
this is what it's about to be.

They bought it in the room.
They said, "Exciting, let's do it."

Then we were development
about a year and a half, two years.

When I tell you,
coming from the internet world,

I was like, I can make this now,
what is the problem?

She had this notion that she wanted
to do a workplace comedy.

The idea was centered more around
what became, "We Got Y'all".

We'd meet as she was developing
the outline and talk about the script.

But also she had stories
about a friend of hers.

At one point she even showed us a text

and it then Casey was like,
that's the show!

It's you and your friend
and the world around both of you.

He did not sad face you,
I will slap you... Bish, what?

That's my life.

I got to rewriting. Then I said, fuck
it. I'm putting all of my life in here.

You hungry?

Just...

Take it!

So I can say this is authentic,
this is a real story.

And that's when they were like,
"Okay, green light."

I had to find a show runner.
HBO sent a couple people my way.

Ashley Holland, an agent, said
"Think about Prentice Penny."

We met in person when you came
to my book signing in Eso Won.

Eso Won, yep.

Then we ended up using Eso Won
for the show.

- I wrote you a letter.
- Yeah.

To tell you what I'd bring to it.

But, what was it like to get it?
People don't send letters anymore.

It went such a long way. Obviously,
I hadn't gotten a letter from anybody.

I saw we were in the same area,
you'd worked in the nonprofit world.

So I thought you got it. By the time
you came to the book signing,

I already thought you were cool.

And I hadn't read shit that you did
until I already said yes.

I was just like, he seems cool.

But you helped me make
every decision.

And camera, action.

The director process,
to find one was soul crushing.

HBO wanted someone established.
They wanted someone with a name.

We found someone and they flew me
to New York to meet this director.

After that meeting, I was like,
"I don't think he gets this show."

We had other directors I loved,
but still didn't get the show to me.

Casey said, "If you had to take a risk,
who would you want?"

I said I'd been following Melina
Matsoukas, who could be dope.

People didn't give opportunities
to directors like me.

I had done music videos and ads.

I had really broken in that space,
but it didn't translate to film and TV.

So I was offered series
I didn't relate to.

When I read this,
I saw myself in the words,

fell in love with her on the page.

And then I met her and I was like,
"She ain't bad. We can collaborate."

We did a Skype meeting
and it was terrible.

It was like, "you knew we're seeing
other directors, you didn't prepare".

I was on the East Coast,
visiting my family.

The wifi wasn't working,
it was hard to connect.

I knew I liked them, they weren't
sure if they liked me yet.

Her rep was like, "How did it go?"
I was like, "Tell her to come correct."

And she was like, let me get her
another meeting, I woke prep her.

I watched
every comedy pilot possible,

I put together a reel treatment
and pitch deck

and I brought it with me
and that meeting was phenomenal.

It was everything. She blew us away.
We knew she was the one.

With the pilot, I didn't think about it
as something that hadn't been done.

I thought about it
as how I approach any project.

I wanted to get inside
of who Issa Dee was,

what influenced her,
who she spoke to and for.

I wanted everything to feel authentic
to that character.

So do y'all have any questions?
Don't be shy guys, fire away.

When editing, she called me up
and said, "Come watch my cut."

"I want someone else's feedback."
And she played it back for me.

I'll never forget this, but I watched
that cut, I got really emotional

and it was almost like I was silent.
And she was like, "You hate it."

I was like, "No, they'll love it."

It was the first time I realized
how important this show could be

and how I hadn't seen a black
woman represented in that way.

This show was going to be a success.
I knew, there is no way people can see

this beautifully crafted pilot,
beautifully shot, beautifully acted,

its humanity, comedy relatability.
How could you not give it a chance?

And legend has it that,
when we got a serious pickup,

it was one of the fastest pickups
in HBO's history.

That shows the love and energy
put into getting that pilot right.

START OF PRODUCTION
SEASON 5

Look at us looking
like a Diversity brochure.

I remember the first audition
I went in for jalapeno poppers.

- Tasha.
- For Tasha.

The description said hood hot.
And I was like, I am not hood hot

because you have to know
your strengths.

I'm shaped like an iPhone,
sleek lines and rounded edges.

I knew I wasn't going to get cast.

So was like, "Vicky, I won't book this.
Is there anything else?

She's like, "They got early 30s.
Ivy league graduate". That's me!

Sophomore year, you hooked up
with a Lisa Turtle lookalike.

That's different. Women can hook up
and we're not considered gay.

It's different for men.

My first audition with Vickie
was, how come I don't know you?

Because it's LA and nobody knows
a little black girl like me,

who don't have no agent,
no nothing.

After it was done she was like,
"You're good. You're good."

She really stepped up every time
she came back to audition.

You'd give her a note, she'd take it.
She was a diamond in the rough.

Sorry, but I'm not looking
for a relationship. Sad face.

The fourth one, that was like,
oh, if y'all don't want me...

That's how I felt walking down
Rodeo Drive and Beverly.

- I think I skipped.
- I will see you soon.

It was the scene where we had
the fight in the car.

The slam lock is on.
And I couldn't get out.

I was like, I'm going to go for it.
And I said "open the damn door".

Motherfucker, open the door.
The child lock's on.

They were like, "That's funny."
I was like, that was a choice.

I felt really good after that.
Between audition three and four,

it was between paying my cell bill
and getting a private coach.

I was like, I'll have to get coach.
I hope they can contact me,

because Sprint is dead!

I'm the only one that's been
a director, cast member and writer.

It's been incredible.

Natasha went from being a writer
to being Kelli in a very specific way.

A lot of times we'll read it
to see, how does it feel.

She read Kelli so great that we
couldn't imagine anybody as funny

as Natasha was being Kelli.

Ever see lock up abroad?
They going to lock a broad up.

God, a favorite Kelli line.
That is so hard.

I improvise so much. I don't remember
what's an actual line

or something I've said or something
I've said never made the air.

I like "remember me different",

only because I say that
in my real life all the time.

Fuck it, you said Beyonce.

Remember me different.

It's like, look at me doing this.
I also love "you know what that is?"

It's gross. You a big girl.

We wanted to make a good show
at the end of the day.

I was talking to Jonathan at the end.
He said, "You know this never works?"

"There's always a power play
between a creator and a show runner."

The first time you bucked up,
although it's the wrong word,

was in the depiction of Lawrence.

That made such a difference,
he could have been written differently

if we didn't have your perspective,
as a man.

As a man,
what he not going to do.

I heard about "Insecure"
from Clarence Hammond.

"Have you heard of Insecure?"
I was like, "No, what's that?"

"It's Issa Rae's new pilot at HBO.
Read it, there's a character for you."

I read the script and I'm thinking
he's talking about Daniel, not Lawrence.

Lawrence is on the couch, eating
cereal. He forgot his girl's birthday.

I'm just getting my shit together.

You've been doing that
for four years, Lawrence.

I never imagined the guy thought
Lawrence was the character for me.

And I remember walking in
and I did Lawrence first.

My shoulders were hunched over.
I didn't want to be there.

But I felt that's where Lawrence
was in his head.

I put my sides down, turned around
and I was like, bam, let's do this.

And all of a sudden was like
a whole new person to do Daniel.

I was like, I booked that.
Three weeks later, I get a call.

"They want to test you
on Insecure."

Cool.

I never asked my rep what character
they wanted to test me on.

I thought I'd read for Daniel again.
Then found out it was Lawrence.

So what are you saying?

I didn't think Lawrence would make it
past the first season,

let alone the first episode.

Jay Ellis is so great.
I think about Breaking Bad.

Jesse wasn't a main character,
he was supposed to follow Walt.

And Jesse, is obviously the show
and I think about that with Jay Ellis.

He was great. We always want
see what Lawrence is doing.

The moment I knew the show was
a success was after our season finale.

Prentice said, "People will go crazy
over the finale."

I read it and I thought
it's not that crazy of an ending.

But then I realized
I was going to be butt naked.

When I logged onto Twitter,
just independent of anything,

saw people tweeting
about Issa and Lawrence.

I'm not on the hashtag.

But on my entire timeline, people
talked about these two characters.

I thought it was incredible.
They were invested in them.

I didn't see it coming.
But it hit people.

I haven't seen a sex scene
hit people like that before.

We wanted to celebrate
the bodies of men on this show

in the way that they weren't on other
shows, as opposed to the female body.

I like that wording.

I did an interview with a magazine.
Did I ever tell you this?

A woman asked me, why is the sex
so graphic? Is that how blacks do it?

- What?
- On God.

White woman?

What kind of white?
Euro white? American white?

Karen white?

I told my family not to watch.
I tried to tell them. They said...

You naked on Instagram
anyway. What's the issue?

But it's my titties, not my dick.
Or my ass.

Cue marker.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Sorry. I wasn't trying to scare you.
When you ended things, I understood.

I had a son on the way, I was moving,
but things changed. I'm changed.

I'd hate to leave here tonight

knowing that I could have said
something and I didn't.

Or like, I didn't fight
hard enough for you.

Thank you. That was passion.

I loved how
you were making the point.

I want to try a take
where time is of the essence.

Talk, because you don't know
how much time you actually have.

- Okay?
- Cool.

Prentice is mad at me
because he's team Lawrence.

He acts like he's unbiased,
but he's not.

I'm going to get it out of him,
I'll figure out the finale.

I always rooted
for Issa and Lawrence.

In season four, I thought some things
just don't work out. They tried.

In season five, I don't know
if I was team Lawrence.

Early on in our conversations
Issa the person was like,

Issa the character would be
a dumb bitch to stay with Lawrence.

But throughout the season, she asked,
does that have to be the way?

And Issa, the person also got
on board with that ending too.

Last year, with the episode

where Lawrence and Issa
have a night together,

we basically wrote an episode
about how they're soulmates.

By the time we got to this season,
we'd told the world they're soulmates,

so they have to end up together,

we'd say the protagonist doesn't
deserve to be with her soulmate.

So there was no other way
to end the show.

- Tonight made me happy.
- You make me happy.

When we first talked about
Issa's arc as a character,

we talked a lot about what it meant
for her to stay at We Got Y'all.

There was something limiting
about. Why is she still here,

if she established
she don't want to be here.?

Even with her romantic arc
in the beginning,

by the end of season one,
she's going to kiss Daniel.

If our goal is to show
a flawed black woman,

who isn't all perfect, then we have
to show her make flawed decisions.

That means quitting your job
without knowing what's next.

Or fucking the dude,
not just kissing him.

Or lying to your partner and then
talking to this guy at your event.

What bad things she could do
that she can correct from,

that make her more dynamic
and more believable as a character?

One of the things I was looking for

was learning from the way of things
I had been seeing for seven years.

I knew
I didn't want repetitive voices.

Like, if I have a black woman,
I don't need any other black women.

And no black women can speak
for all black women.

Agents sent us voices that felt like,
"I'm going to send you eight Issa's."

But I was like, I have Issa.
I don't need eight Issa's.

I need something contrary to Issa.

Writing on Insecure has been
a fulfilling experience.

It's the safest I've felt a in room,
I never felt like anything I pitched

was too stupid or too bad,
I could say anything.

Every season, we wanted to make
each other laugh and make Issa laugh.

It felt like a talk with friends,
where you happen to create a plot.

You have to let writers have lives,
to be able to make a show.

Otherwise, they're just
in a writers room all the time.

Prentice arranged happy hours
on Fridays and events on weekends.

We went to Disneyland,
which that made us feel like friends,

and it jst made us better at our jobs
because we were open and sharing

and giving ourselves to the content.

I was proud of the rooms
we assembled.

We didn't have a lot of turnover
in our room.

The first three seasons we're
all the same writers.

Then obviously as a blessing,
those writers got opportunities

We replenished with four more writers
who stuck with us to the end.

Morning.

When Issa comes to me,
she goes on a vacation.

She's on some island right now.
I like early calls.

They mean you get out earlier,
sometimes.

It's always great to be able to work.
For me, it always starts at the top.

However the lead is,
that's what you get.

And we're doing good here
with our lead.

I'm old school, I can go back
to working on Martin.

And I did the Bernie Mac Show.
Been doing this for a minute,

but this is an amazing talent,

because you're working
with a younger, amazing people

that have taken this industry
to another level.

With their creativeness.

I love that.

This is my time
to make love to the hair.

I always say that her hair
and my hands have a love affair.

She likes my hair
more than she likes me.

I love you too!

I love you too.

But this hair is everything,
it's my favorite.

I found out about Awkward Black Girl
because natural hair was emerging.

At hat time I was running around
with Jill Scott

who help a lot of people to look
at natural hair very differently.

People told me to see Awkward Black
Girl. Her hair is natural.

I remember a time where you'd see
a woman with short hair or Afro,

and not think much about it,
but they made it a really big deal

that Issa had natural hair

and had cut it off and talked
about that on her show.

So I started watching it
and I was like, this is good.

I get it. And every now and then
I'll get messages from women saying,

"I can't wait for the next season
to see what you do with the hair."

Because I get ideas for work
and going out. And it's great

that you are anticipating the next
season or episode for the hair.

When I look back at the photos
I've taken of the hairstyles,

it's like a thousand hairstyles,
it's crazy. I do not plan them.

They are kind of like a creation
between Issa and I in the morning.

Sometimes I have an idea, but once
I see the wardrobe, it could change.

It's off the cuff.

There's our superstar.
I'm so glad we're doing this.

Me too.

Let me show you what our brand
partnership looks like.

Brand perception and awareness
are up significantly...

I didn't want to make a comedy
that looked like any other comedy.

Cinematically we could push this and
allow it to live in a different space

because it's a specific show
so it should have its own look.

Everything was based in authenticity
and having it feel as real as possible,

lighting black people in a way
that I was used to,

celebrating their bodies
and their skin and their joy.

We were successful the first year.
Second year, Ava came on board.

She came from indie film.
I loved her work and aesthetic.

I already had strong ideas
on what I would do differently.

There were some missed
opportunities visually,

with incorporating cinematography
into the DNA of the show.

One of the things I said
when went in there

was you're missing how cool this
show is, you're missing literal color

in people's skin, in Los Angeles,
the warmth, the architecture.

I wanted to feel the environment
more in this visual storytelling.

Insecure is more than a comedy.
It's part of a cultural movement,

part of visual culture and I wanted it
to be that, to show up for that.

We're going to try to do
this again with them.

Everybody look at me, I want
to make sure nobody's blocked.

Just make sure I don't lose you.
Nathan?

Yeah?

All the girls look great.
I think Kelli looks amazing.

She looks good right?
Did you tell her about that?

As soon when she got here.
I said, you look beautiful.

- I'm going to tell her again.
- Do it. I love the floral.

I love this, great.
He has decent shoes.

- Can I get a raise?
- I don't control that.

Costumes are like cinematography,
which is like production design.

There's a story in all of it. I believe
in how we tell a story visually.

The show is also about the diversity
of black people and women.

Each person must have their own
style and sense of expression.

You know your neck's not long
enough for these turtlenecks?

I'm exchanging all these.

Condola got me meeting in fancy
spots. I gotta change my wardrobe.

First and second season we'd have
clothes, but limited budgets.

In the pilot when Issa was on stage,
she said, that's my outfit.

I was like, this is perfect.

- You love this.
- I do.

It's cute and it looks good on her.
But then are we wasting it here?

I loved this too,
but with a different shirt.

When I started at Insecure,

the aesthetics of the main characters
were already carved out.

That was a unique challenge
because I continued that narrative,

but added my own twist,
my own personal touch.

For Issa, we elevated her a little bit
and that was really exciting to see.

Diversity is always top of mind.

In addition to the team we hire,

we focus on using and shooting
and purchasing designers of color,

black women,
young up and comers in LA.

That's a way to support financially,
designers of color from our community.

When it came to work
on episode 507 with Amy,

I suggested only featuring black
female designers on our principles.

We wanted to feature black female
designers for every aspect,

from the earrings to the shoes
to of course, all of the clothing.

She was really up for it.
It presented a lot of challenges,

but it gave us an opportunity
to support black female designers

in a way that we haven't done
on the show.

We've obviously incorporated them,
but never a true focal point.

It played into the story of these women
coming together one of the last times

and supporting each other as they
move on to different experiences.

I'm directing episode 507,
called "Chilling, okay?"

It's special. All the girls are together
almost the entire episode.

It's like you're planning to go out
and then you never make it out.

It's playback action camera,
you start smoking

and then on action Issa,
you deliver your line.

I've been working on Insecure
since the beginning.

I feel like I worked on pre-Insecure,

because I wrote for Missadventures
of Awkward Black Girl.

Insecure has different levels
of directors and a lot of new talent.

Many friends ask me from season one,
are you going to direct?

I was like,
"No, this show, it's so hard."

Growing as a producer on set,

supporting many different directors
and seeing how they work,

I felt like for four seasons,
I was shadowing directors.

Not about to argue with someone
who wants a...

All right, let's cut.

When I came to Insecure, it was
the first time I'd been on a set

where people of color were at the top.

The vibe on set and the people,
it was diverse for real.

It wasn't PA diverse, it wasn't
one person over here diverse.

It was diverse in all aspects.

This is the first show I've been on,
where, when I get into a scout van,

which includes director,
cinematographer, assistant director,

that I'm the only white guy
in the van.

That is the first time in 30 years
that that's ever happened.

I'm not straight, so there were no
straight white guys in the van.

I see many women in the camera
department because I make it that way.

This show has been about
giving people that shot.

I was given that shot and I want
to give it to others.

When it comes to giving chances,
people will show you they're ready.

And I love passionate people.
I love to be around people

who love to do the work.
That tells you all you need to know.

First time I met Issa was 2009.
Issa did this workshop.

The Insecure onset contest
HBO put on. At the end of 2016,

the winners got to move to LA
and work on the show as set PAs.

Afterwards, I stood in line
and talked to her. "I'm writing now."

I hadn't had any real eyes
on my work yet. I was so bold.

Even though I was PA-ing, I tried
to let people know I'm a writer,

talking to Issa whenever I could.

She read my pilot script and
Issa personally emails me.

"Hey Kindsey, not sure
what you're up to,

but we have a spot opening
up for writer's assistant,

if you're interested". And I'm like,
of course I'm interested.

I dropped everything and I came
to become a show runner's assistant

and a writer's PA for season one
of Insecure.

Now I'm a showrunner
of Rap Shit for HBO Max. It's crazy.

Six years ago, none of those people
had professional writing jobs

and now they're show runners
and writers on other shows.

I see how in five seasons,
we've given eight first time directors

their opportunity to direct
their first episode of TV.

I think seven writers over the last
five seasons, got their own deals.

Six writers from these five seasons
went on to become showrunners.

We've hired and broken
in two costume designers, a new DP,

and across the board,
you really see growth.

That is a testament to their legacy
and to the legacy of the show.

We always tried to open many doors
for as many people as possible.

I met Issa Rae at a 7/11 randomly,
years ago, before Insecure.

We talked about Hollywood
and what we each do.

Years later, she's very successful.

I have a wife and kids and I'm trying
to figure out how support my family.

I thought getting into a union
is one of my best opportunities.

When COVID hit I was discouraged,
didn't think it was gonna happen.

I happened to work on a show
with one of the producers from Insecure.

I was wearing an Insecure hoodie
or a hat.

And he asked, "Do you know Issa?
Do you work on the show?"

I said, "I do."

I was telling her about how hard it is
to get into a union

and she said to me,
there's always a way.

If I can get you on the show and help
count towards your days, that's a win.

It's also a win for inclusion
and making sure

that this show is continuing
to create opportunities.

Fast forward a few months
and I got a call. It worked out.

This show means so much to me,
it's helping me take care of my family.

I can go home and look at my wife
and she's proud of me.

At the beginning of this season
we'll have an art walk in this area.

And we should look for artists
in Crenshaw and Inglewood,

black artists in particular.

Creatively it took a good
three weeks,

but to physically put it together,
we did it in two days.

Issa is very specific in embracing
all the locations that we've seen

in all five seasons. If it wasn't
going to be Leimert Park Plaza,

there wasn't really an option.
It wasn't really an option.

Look who's over here shopping!

The Black Art Walk is an event where
Los Angelian African American artists

show off their work.
As with everything Issa Dee does,

there's a verisimilitude that has to do
with what the real world is doing

and what she's doing in the show.

Her master plan was she was going
to come down here

and spend the money for us
to be working in this community.

It ain't Insecure if we don't have
a block party, if we don't have...

In the neighborhood
where the blacks are...

Hello? I'm trying to shoot over here.
Oh, it's the black Yukon.

Suge Knight is coming through,
I don't know who's there.

I said, it's not Insecure
if we don't have a big...

Y'all disrespect other actresses
like this? Oh, now it's a party.

You know what?
This is why we do what we do.

They said, "Oh, the cameras
is rolling? We have a party."

I love it.

So you were saying, how does it feel
to shoot in a black neighborhood?

This is how. It's a cookout, a party,
we going to get in on it too.

It's not only Issa Dee,
but Issa Rae's desire and mission

to promote the black community,
especially, one

where there's so much culture,
art and feeling here.

That's what Insecure does best.
We show how alive this area is.

It's not just the Hollywood Hills
or Sunset Boulevard.

Inglewood, Leimert Park,
we got stuff here too.

Three weeks ago, we were shooting
down in Manhattan beach.

I went down Hyde Park Street,
where the Dunes apartment is.

There was three families
taking photos

and we shot the Dunes
like season two or three.

People are still going to the Dunes,
taking photos of Insecure.

It is proven to be a lot of positivity,
acceptance from this show.

I'm extremely proud of Issa.

It's wild to me that the Dunes
is a cultural landmark.

You don't think about those things
when you're filming.

We moved out of those apartments
by season two.

I get tagged three or four times a day
by people in pictures.

It's dope. They treat it
like the Hollywood sign.

When Insecure started,
it was like pulling teeth.

We were set on creating a certain
authentic look to the show.

We realized the vets in the industry
weren't really used to that.

We asked them to go to neighborhoods
that other shows didn't film in.

We asked for locations never
filmed at. We fought hard for that.

It's refreshing being able
to show new places,

whether it's neighborhoods
or businesses, on television.

In South LA, it's different protocols
you have to go by.

You go into certain neighborhoods,
you must deal with hood logistics.

You have to know the politics
of Leimert Park in order to film.

Everybody knows and loves Issa.
She employs a lot of black people.

She puts a spotlight on communities
that other TV shows don't.

We got to see the great people who
live and make this community work

and all of the great cultural things
that it has to offer.

I grew up on Normandie in Florence.
Anyone who's outside of LA

know it is because that's where
the riots started in the 90s.

That's not the best representation
of LA, but it is what it is.

I rep my city pretty hard

and it feels really good to see the LA
that we know and love represented

as opposed to the one Hollywood
typically portrays for us.

Everywhere we shoot
is my stomping ground.

In the Baldwin Hills Plaza, people
I grew up with is our security.

To work and see my friends
and they see me doing this...

look at my smile.
It's really dope.

I love the thug Yoda representation,

because it's humanizing somebody
who's "blood" from our neighborhood.

- We was about to watch the bear bears.
- Care Bears, Daddy.

You have these type of relationships
with these people.

It's an accurate description because
it represents the side that's not shown.

Yoda was based off of someone
I'd seen at the post office,

in Inglewood. I dropping my mail off.
Super hood post office.

It was a dude on the phone with
his daughter in his arm, cussing.

"Yeah, nigger.
Don't fucking play me."

And he would be like,
"You good baby? All right, yeah..."

I was like, this is a character.

Come on to the Brenshaw Mall.

- Oh shit!
- Oh, shit!

I'm glad when I see a cafe I go
to or a barber's my son goes to,

on my street on HBO and with
a bunch of white people watching,

but just let's not continue
all the gentrification.

South LA is great, but you can stay
in another neighborhood.

I don't know why I told you about this
neighborhood. Y'all take everything.

Can we have anything? Leave!

I've been blamed for gentrification.
The show has been blamed for it.

Something went LA viral on Twitter
where this girl posted,

I went to Worldwide Tacos,
and I didn't like them.

She misquoted Worldwide Tacos
as being in Inglewood.

So people were like, "Bitch, go home.
This is Issa's fault."

"Didn't nobody tell you to review
these tacos?" Anyway...

And I was like, damn.
It's the beauty and the blessing

of exposing these businesses
but then locals being mad

that people come in here
being overly familiar

with these places
that are so dear to us.

We had a nice shoot on Saturday.

I got called at 6:00 PM
and we didn't finish until 5:50.

We were in the van going back to set.
6:05, I was on my way home.

And then today is Monday

and I got picked up at 3:54 AM
to come here.

It's Wednesday.

Hi, I'm Issa Rae. Life is so hard.
I didn't have a 24 hour...

She didn't work on Saturday.

She was posting shirtless pictures
of her doctor.

Sounds like hatred.
Someone's mad at my life.

But I'm just Issa Rae,
I own everything, boohoo.

Why do you to laugh?

I'm off camera, you know
you got to make it worse.

- What happened to you?
- So bad.

I own everything.

I heard that finale script
dropped last night.

- It did.
- How do you feel?

Good, it's out there.
We'll keep retweaking it.

You can ask Kira our script
coordinator, but I hit her up.

I finished it on Saturday and said
we'll send it out in the morning.

Then I dreamt about it
and wanted to change it.

Kira said she could recall it.

So I made another change
and then had another idea.

I was like, "Kira, did you send it?"
She was just about to.

Then I read something up,
literally three times,

because the cast and crew
are seeing it

and I want the first impression
to at least be...

We know we're keep working on
this, but I still feel confident in it.

And when I think about, actors who
dedicated five years to this show

and crew members, if it just ends
with a, "Aw man, that's it?"

I don't want that feeling: "I dedicated
my life for five years and this is it?"

So I wanted to make sure
that it was all represented

and I'm excited for the table read.
A weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Issa sighs as Quoia opens a door wide
to Crenshaw's Warehouse main room,

it's completely dark.
Issa steps inside.

Coria, why is this so dark?
You got a night plumber?

- She flips on a switch and...
- Surprise!

It's Issa's 33rd birthday and they're
all gathered to celebrate her.

With this show, I'm most proud
of the doors that it's opened.

It's showing black people's humanity
and regular-ness

in a time when that wasn't the focus
for anything else on television.

And opening doors
for so much other talent

behind the scenes,
in front of the camera.

That's what we'll be known for,
just like "Girlfriends"

and all the other legendary shows
that that came before us.

Thanks for coming and making me
look good in front of my new client.

We got you girl.

- Let's take a photo.
- You got it.

- Now let's do a fun one.
- No, we're good.

I love that I got to play Tiffany.

At first, it was more a trope
of the bougie light skin, AKA.

- Where's Tiffany? She mad at me?
- Don't know. She hide in the closet.

Yes, I know
he's our little weed baby,

but I just want to be home
with you.

And we got to see her develop
into a mom,

into a more compassionate friend,
into the truth teller of the gang.

We're all doing great, look at you
getting fit, look at Kelli.

Look at Molly, taking interviews,
taking names. Look at Issa.

I feel like people have come
to see Tiffany

as part of this legacy of bougie
black women in television,

from Hillary Banks to Whitley Gilbert.
To be in the company of that,

within the African American
cultural cannon is just a dream.

All right, let's do it,
everybody pictures up.

Good, cut.

It is time to say series rap
on Natasha Rothwell.

When I got the show I was like,
I don't know if I can do this.

It's very vulnerable for me to say,
but it's just true.

Over six years, the show taught me

that you can grow into those positions

and to meet those expectations.

We're limiting ourselves
when we take those risks

and have the courage to just try.
Again, it's about visibility

and not one singular
black female voice.

And yet Issa's voice is singular
and I'm excited for disruption,

shaking the table
and infusing the culture of Hollywood

with more black female voices.

Now we are inside
of an international hotel.

It's a party. Everyone's dressed up,
drinking and mingling.

At some point, I'll crane back out,
but we're craning in.

It'll be super loose and then...

That's the scene. The steady cam
will be coming behind you.

Let's make a wedding!

Smile at her, yeah.

Listen to me, don't...
Just smile. Smile at her.

Molly has been
a delicious character to embody.

She taught me things, I think
I thought her some things.

Though these are writer's words,

I'd like the think that I brought
my growth and my healing to her,

but she also brought her growth
and her healing to me.

By the time we get to the end
of season five, she finds herself.

- And cue Jay.
- Action Jay.

I never thought about
where Lawrence's story should go,

from season to season,

I was here for Issa's story.

So whatever Issa wants
is what I want to do.

Being able to bring Lawrence's journey
full circle from who he was at first,

from a dude sitting on the couch,
crippled in fear,

who couldn't take care of himself,
much less anyone else...

To see him come full circle to being
a father going after what he wants,

being okay with himself and knowing
"I have figured myself out,

and this is the type of relationship
that I want in my life"...

And it's crazy,
because it feels so real.

We have to wrap up this day

with the very multifaceted
emotional news

that this is an Insecure series wrap
on Jay Ellis.

Now we're done,
it's the people, man.

Right here.

- Nigger, we did it.
- Love you too.

That shit.

He did it.

Y'all sill got something to do.

It's rare to go to work every day
and love not only the work,

but the people that you're with.

And for all of us to walk out six years
later and still love each other,

it's all you could dream for.
It's all you could... Thank you.

It's all...

All you could dream for in a show.

- What's up?
- It's the black Santa.

I'm going to miss every person
we've had on our production,

from sound to camera and Issa.

And Issa.

It is very rare to have...

the creator of your show be your costar
and your biggest champion.

I'll miss the shit out of it.

The party's over. Issa helps Molly
take her wedding dress off.

Issa unzips the complicated dress
and Molly sway still tipsy.

Okay, just one more row.
How you feeling girl?

Happy.
Like really, really happy.

As long as you're around,
I'm going to be okay.

Yeah.

Me too.

- I love you.
- I love you too.

And cut.

- Let's cut. Let's keep it quiet.
- That's it.

All right, everybody, bring up
the house lights and come here.

I gotta scream
or I'm going to start crying, let's go.

No...

This is a serious wrap day...
Damn it.

This is a series wrap on Yvonne Orji.

Man, thank you all so much.
Come on!

For real, thank you guys.

Issa, I owe so much to you.
We all do.

I'm grateful I got to rock
with you by your side

as your number two for six years.

You changed the heck out my life.

Everybody, cast, crew, writers,
Prentice,

I love the heck out of y'all.
We did it. We made a show.

The role I'm most proud of
is not even being Molly,

it's just being able to serve you.
That's what I take so much pride in.

I've wanted to protect you
because you literally were the head.

And I know that heavy is the head
that wears the crown. We did it.

We did it!

We always said the true love story
of Insecure is Issa and Molly.

We wanted to show you can get
to a place, not with every friend,

but in this friendship, at least,

that they were growing
at different paces

and eventually lined up and grew
in sink again, by the end.

They realized that no,
you're my person. You're my friend.

For life.

This wasn't a friendship for a reason
or a season. But one for a lifetime.

We ain't shit for some tricks.

Hello, what?
Pick up the phone, hello?

You're so stupid.
Bottoms up!

This spiked?

I love you.

We are saying goodbye and goodnight
and a series finale to Prentice Penny.

I don't know why I still have this,
I'm COVID tested.

When we met, I always felt like,
if I was a young Issa,

how would I want my person,
a showrunner to be?

It was very important for me
that I walk away from this

that you could say, he helped me
make the show I wanted to make

and he never got in the way once.
That was always my north star.

You realize you're just a brick
in somebody else's story

and you have a bigger function
to serve.

I think about all the times I was
the only black writer in rooms

and going through the things I went
through for 17 years, good and bad,

I tried to pour all of what I knew,
everything I learned, every skillset,

to pour it into you.

You exceeded and went farther
than I could have dreamed for you.

The beauty is that you'll never know
those things that I saw,

you only create a new path
and I will miss you so much.

I love you. And...

Yeah, I don't know.
I love you.

Thank you.

- What will I do without you now?
- You'll be fine. You got 18 shows.

Baldwin Hills
Last Day of Production

And action.

Poor thing.
She went to bed at four.

Had a 8:42 call time,
I just looked at it.

That's what happens
when you have your own show.

Go ahead, baby.

I hope in the future that people
see that it was a classic.

I really feel like it was a beautiful
picture of how we live now.

When you think back to our era,
you'll think back to Insecure.

But I also hope that other shows
will follow in our footsteps

and diversify that landscape.

And that's a cut of the last shot
of Insecure, the HBO series.

That is a series wrap
on our queen!

Let's go.

You guys, I am just incredibly
humbled, blessed.

I'm honored to know a lot of you.

When I set out to do this...
Y'all know me.

I'm not the most talented person,
I'm not the funniest person.

I'm not the best person...

But you aspire and you dream
and you imagine,

and I never imagined I'd get to work
with all of you in support of this

and to meet so many amazing,
talented people.

I think about my loved ones,
my brothers and sisters and cast.

You guys elevated me. I've learned
so much from you along the way.

I've learned so much about myself
through you

and am blessed to be in your presence
and to know I have family for life.

That's a wrap!

When I look at other shows
growing up,

I had not seen a family like mine
in black television until I saw Cosby.

That show inspired me to think
my idea of life can be on screen

and it made me believe
it was possible.

So if I had to distill it down, I'd hope
people would watch Insecure and go,

"Achieving at a high level, creatively,
opportunity-wise, is possible."

And sometimes in this country,

you don't always get to think
things that look like you are possible.

That's what I hope its legacy is.
Whatever people need it to be,

to know that it's possible.

- How do you feel to be done baby?
- Baby, I'm tired. All right.

You're too pretty, baby.

I started this shit.
I ended this his. We're done!

Insecure, bitch!

I love you.
I love you.

Can we go eat?

The hardest working people
in showbiz.

- Love you boo.
- I love you more.

I want it to go down as people's
favorite show, it's super simple.

In the way that I talk nostalgically
about the shows that shaped me,

that make me smile
when I think about them,

that I reflect on a specific time
in my life, happily,

I want our show to do the same.

I want people to think about scenes
and the first time they watched them

and imagine where they were
in their lives.

I want it to be a part of who they are.
That would make me happy.

INSECURE: THE END