Jo-Issa Rae Diop, known as Issa Rae (born January 12, 1985), is an American actress, writer, director, producer, and web series creator. She first garnered attention for her work on the YouTube web series Awkward Black Girl. Since then, she has been known for her roles in the TV show 'Insecure' (2016-2021) and films such as 'The Hate U Give' (2018) and 'Barbie' (2023). Her father is Senegalese.