Issa Rae and More: Where Are They Now?
- 2025 Root 100 honoree Amanda Seales, who portrayed the bougie but funny Tiffany DuBois, has spent much her time post-"Insecure" speaking truth to power through her podcast "Small...
- While we still have some outstanding questions about the true nature of Dro (played by Sarunas jackson) and Candace's marriage, we can truly say that Jackson took on...
- There was no other person who could've perfectly played Chad like neil Brown Jr.
INGLEWOOD, CA - JULY 15: The cast of Insecure attends a block party celebrating HBOS new season of “Insecure” on July 15, 2017 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for HBO)
As hard as it might potentially be to believe,2026 marks the five-year anniversary of Issa Rae’s iconic show,”Insecure.” The show-which centered around the life adn times of Issa Dee, her crew of friends, and the ups and downs of living, loving and working in Los Angeles-became a cultural staple and helped usher back “appointment television,” especially where millennials were concerned.
Across the shows five seasons, “Insecure” secured multiple Emmy, Critics Choice and NAACP Image award nominations and a handful of wins; prompted multiple internet memes and GIFs; and served a template for what modern-day, successful shows about a group of friends existing looked like.
So in honor of the show and it’s undeniable legacy that we thought we’d check in to see exactly what the cast is up to now and the successes they’ve garnered in the time since “Insecure” went off the air. Keep reading to find out more!
issa Rae- “Issa Dee”
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To say Issa Rae’s Hollywood career has continuously been in an upswing since “Insecure” ended in 2021 would arguably be putting it lightly. She’s been in numerous films since the show saeid goodbye like the Oscar-winning “American Fiction,” “barbie” (where she played the president), “Spider-man: Across the spider-Verse.” she also produced the popular 2025 comedy, “One of Them Days” starring SZA and Keke Palmer. Outside of Hollywood, Rae has leaned more into her entrepreneurial side by launching her own brand of (appetizing) prosecco, Viarae and in 2024, her first fine dining restaurant, Somerville.
Yvonne Orji- “Molly Carter”
2025 Root 100 honoree Amanda Seales, who portrayed the bougie but funny Tiffany DuBois, has spent much her time post-“Insecure” speaking truth to power through her podcast “Small Doses with Amanda Seales” and her eponymous show. And while she may have had a few viral moments thanks to her 2024 interview with Shannon Sharpe and that Jubilee video where she debated against 20 conservatives-it’s been a minute since we’ve seen her on-camera.But 2026 might change that and she could be back on our screens in no time. Only time will tell.
While we still have some outstanding questions about the true nature of Dro (played by Sarunas jackson) and Candace’s marriage, we can truly say that Jackson took on the role effortlessly.That’s probably why he was able secure a longstanding gig on Freeform’s “Good Trouble” and later in Apple TV’s 2025 hit show, “Presumed Innocent,” starring alongside acting heavy-hitters like Jake Gyllenhaal and ruth Negga.
Jean Elie- “Ahmal Dee”
wade Allain-Marcus- “Derek DuBois”
Things have been somewhat quiet when it comes to Wade Allain-Marcus-that is, if you don’t count his film remake of “Don’t tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” which came out in 2024. The film had a theatrical release before finding a home on BET+. If television is more your speed, then check him out in the British, psychological thriller “Eric” on Netflix.
Leonard Robinson- “Taurean Jackson”
There was no other person who could’ve perfectly played Chad like neil Brown Jr. did. Thankfully, his comedic talents and overall acting prowess helped him secure roles in other projects like ”Seal Team,” (which aired for seven seasons, ending in October 2024), “The Equalizer,” ”The Walking Dead,” and more. In April 2025, brown Jr. was announced as one of the cast members for the upcoming “Martin” spinoff on BET+, “Varnell Hill.”
Alexander Hodge - “Andrew Tan”
Though we’re ultimately happy Molly got her happy ending we still need justice for AsianBae, a.k.a. Andre Tan who was played by Alexander Hodge as he was a good dude! Regardless, it looks as if life has been good to Hodge in real life as he’s been able to secure roles in multiple television and film projects as “Insecure” went off the air, including: “gross Pointe Garden Society” (2025), ”joy Ride” (2023), “She Taught Love” (2024), “Which Brings Me to You” (2023), and more.
Leon Thomas – “Neighbor Bae”
While some Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” fans may have immediatly recognized Leon Thomas as Neighbor Bae in “Insecure,” others got their first glimpse at an artist who would soon go from being in the background as a pretty successful singer-songwriter for other big name stars to Grammy-nominated music artist himself years later. Though he may have temporarily put down his acting bag, he picked up his music bag and went full-speed ahead thanks to the release of his 2024 album “Mutt and the subsequent “Mutt: Deluxe” in 2025 – of which earned him six nominations at the 20