I can imagine that experience being cathartic and confronting, and on top of that, you’re running the show, producing, writing, and wearing every hat. How was that experience?
It was a lot, but it was one of those things where I felt so prepared. I was able to have a front-row seat on Insecure to Issa’s journey. I had surreptitiously been taking notes for five seasons. I was a high school teacher for four years, so I know how to rally the troops and get them excited about a project. I don’t have main-character energy in my real life, but I was like, I can do this, I can stand on that experience. And I loved it. It was exhausting, but every time I would get tired, I would get this supernatural kind of energy, this gift of extra battery power. It felt like the universe was providing what I needed in real time. That’s the only way I can describe it. I could get emotional now thinking about it, because so often I have tried to make myself smaller to fit into spaces, and that was exhausting. The biggest gift was not being apologetic about my presence on set. There was something about being able to exhale and be like, I belong here.
Let’s pivot to another show you’re a part of—The White Lotus. You’re coming back for Season 3 and reprising your role as Belinda. Anything you can tell us?
I’m feeling over-the-moon about it. I was in Thailand for about five months. I never thought I’d be able to put Belinda on again. And I don’t think any of us knew after Season 1 what would be in store for us. Mike White is such an amazing creator and storyteller. I trust him implicitly. Not dissimilar to Mel’s character, Belinda is on the sidelines. For audiences to see more of her story is really what excited me. And it didn’t disappoint. It is epic. When I read the scripts, I was shook. Season 3 is bigger, better, crazier, but still has the hallmark of excellent storytelling. is so good at playing nuance, and I’m just really excited for audiences to see this brand-new world, but also to get to know Belinda a little better.