Issa Rae

Issa Rae is an Emmy-nominated television creator, writer, and executive producer who gained widespread recognition as the mastermind behind the series Insecure. Over her career in entertainment, she has built a reputation for sharp humor and character-driven storytelling across major networks and studios.

Rae is returning to HBO with a pilot order for a half-hour comedy centered on male friendship in Sin City. Serving as writer and executive producer, she shifts her focus from modern female dynamics to explore the world of Las Vegas boxing. The plot focuses on Menzel, a thirty-year-old barber striving to become a sports manager while acting as a full-time best friend to a rising boxing talent.

In creative partnership with Girls Trip writer Tracy Oliver, Rae co-created Open, an hourlong drama series centered on a married couple navigating an open marriage. The buzzy project originated from Paramount Television Studios under Rae’s ongoing first-look deal, sparking a competitive seven-way bidding war among prominent television networks and streaming platforms.