Natasha Rothwell Can Do It All. Hollywood Is Lastly Taking Discover

Any fan of Insecure may spot Natasha Rothwell’s expertise instantly—her ease in entrance of the digital camera, her experience with a punch line, her distinctive really feel for construction and style. Each a author and actor on the HBO half hour since its inception, she emerged as a scene-stealer enjoying Kelli Prenny, the wild pal of Issa Rae’s protagonist, in addition to the identify behind a number of the present’s greatest scripts, together with season 4’s rom-com-infused “Lowkey Joyful.” 

So the place would this breakout gig take the multihyphenate? In 2021, we received our first glimpse at Rothwell’s subsequent part. Earlier than Insecure’s last season launched, she scored raves in The White Lotus for her wealthy work as weathered lodge worker Belinda, who strikes up a tenuous bond with Jennifer Coolidge’s crazy, boozy, rich visitor. Featured amongst a star-studded forged that additionally included Connie Britton and Steve Zahn, the HBO sequence from creator Mike White proved Rothwell’s bona fides as a dramatic actor. Then, for Insecure’s return this previous fall, Rothwell performed new shades of the position that’s outlined her profession up to now—and there have been new alternatives behind the scenes too: She made her directorial debut on the hilarious sixth episode, “Drained, Okay?!”

Now she enters a brand new 12 months loaded with promise, and redefined earlier than an business all too prepared to field folks—notably, girls of shade—into slim stereotypes. Rothwell spoke over Zoom with Vainness Honest from London, simply earlier than Insecure completed its run on HBO, the place she was taking pictures the Warner Bros. movie Wonka—yet one more marker of simply how excessive she’s hovering.    

Vainness Honest: You’re in London taking pictures Wonka. That is your life now. What’s the sensation?

Natasha Rothwell: I imply, it’s simply surreal. I’m simply ready for somebody to wake me up on the 6 Prepare in New York and being like, “You missed your cease,” and all of this can have been a dream. I’m simply making an attempt to remain asleep so long as doable.

Timothée Chalamet was by no means carrying that hat. That film doesn’t exist.

[Laughs] He doesn’t exist. Jim Carter isn’t an angel. Don’t fear about it.

Nicely, alas, it is extremely a lot actual.

It’s, it’s. I’ve been right here a bit of over two months now and through Christmas time, which can also be similar to the most effective Love, Truly, Bridget Jones vibes this little Anglophile may ever ask for.

I’ve been fascinated about you being there, within the context of Insecure. You’re off filming this big challenge on one other continent whereas the ultimate season is airing.

I do know. It’s been extremely tough to not be within the continental U.S. throughout this final season, to not really feel like my boots are on the bottom. Thank God for social media, I’ve been in a position to work together and scratch that itch, however there’s nothing like being there within the States and never [being] tremendous drained making an attempt to remain as much as watch an episode. I’m simply so grateful as a result of I’m on this place due to the present. I’m in a position to be taking pictures a film internationally with stars who I’d’ve by no means thought would know my identify, not to mention what I seem like, dressed up in a interval costume. So it’s simply this attention-grabbing mixture of feelings. It’s bittersweet, within the truest sense.