Actress Natasha Rothwell detailed her journey to her role on HBO’s Insecure with the Los Angeles Times and revealed that she began as a writer on the show. Rothwell also discussed her unconventional road to Hollywood.

Rothwell studied theater in college after initially majoring in journalism. She moved to Tokyo to teach English after graduation and perform at the Tokyo Comedy Store. The actress also taught drama for four years at a Bronx high school.

In 2014, she auditioned for Saturday Night Live but didn’t get the part. She did get a job as a writer on the show after making an impression at her audition. But her experience wasn’t what she was hoping for, and Rothwell felt like she was auditioning every day at work.

“I didn’t want folks to think I got in to satisfy a requirement,” said Rothwell. “I wanted to show that I belonged. I wanted to be at the table at ‘SNL’ and I wanted them to think, ‘F**k, she’s funny. I like what she has to say. And I see her and, oh, that joke is great.’ That’s a lot to carry. And I think that’s also an expression of privilege for white writers: They don’t know what it’s like to walk into a room and feel like the audition is not over. I didn’t feel seen, always. Putting my hand up was me wanting to know if my voice could be heard. It was Pavlovian for me.”

Things changed when the now 41-year-old snagged a job writing for Insecure. Rothwell felt heard and didn’t feel like she needed to ask to speak. Her work writing on the show turned into an acting job after being asked to play Kelli. 

Issa Rae liked her reading of the Insecure character in the writer’s room and notified Rothwell that she wanted her to play the part.

“It was so unexpected,” she said of getting the part. “I was giving the kind of tears where it’s the ugly cry that’s just for yourself. I felt so seen as a whole creator.”

Her success on the show has led to other projects for Rothwell. The actress won critical acclaim for her role in HBO’s limited series, The White Lotus. In London, Rothwell is currently filming the prequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wonka. Her dream is to write a romantic comedy, and we can’t wait to see it.