‘Insecure’: Yvonne Orji Jokes She Wanted to Fight Kerry Washington
Insecure Season 4 is in full effect and viewers are thrilled that the hilarious and relatable comedy has been renewed for season 5. But, we still have lots to look forward to before this current season ends. One thing that fans are awaiting patiently is the penultimate episode of the season which Kerry Washington directs. Washington has been a well-respected actress for years. Most recently, she received acclaim for Scandal, American Son, and Little Fires Everywhere.
Washington had great expectations for the cast of Insecure. She pushed them in ways that they weren’t quite used to and certainly weren’t expecting. For episode 9 of season 4, she had certain expectations for the actors that really required them to deliver with their performances emotionally. At a panel for the Television Critics Association, writer, producer, and actress, Issa Rae, got candid about the experience.
Kerry Washington directed the penultimate episode of ‘Insecure’ Season 4
“As an actor’s director specifically, she really tested all of us in various ways that was just so enjoyable. A lot of directors respectfully come on and say, ‘We know that you’ve been playing this character for three or four years, so you know what you’re doing. We may not focus on the performances necessarily because you got it.’ I think Kerry challenged all of us to try different things and you see on-screen that we’re all better for it. It was an absolute pleasure to work with her,” Rae gushed about Washington lending her talents to Insecure.
Washington also held the actors accountable and forced them to deliver performances that the audience could really believe and relate to. In a recent Instagram live, Yvonne Orji, who plays Molly, recalled Washington’s penchant for calling them out when she didn’t believe them. Washington also encouraged them to draw from their frustration and fatigue so that they could make Insecure season 4 as strong as it could possibly be.
Washington pushed Yvonne Orji to greatness
Orji admitted that she even got frustrated with Washington’s directorial style at times. She even joked that she wanted to fight the Little Fires Everywhere star after being challenged on her believability multiple times. However, Washington’s nitpicking ultimately made the scene and Orji much better. “She pushed me to greatness,” Orji admitted, reflecting on Washington and what she brought to the episode of Insecure.
Rae also joked that Washington had very high standards for every actor she worked with on Insecure. “I don’t what kind of quality you used to at Scandal, but you at Insecure baby,” Rae joked. Orji was quick to co-sign her friend. “It’s bare minimum over here!” she said playfully. The costars also added that Washington was not shy about taking the characters in different directions than they were accustomed to.
How Washington’s directorial style influenced the episode
“She was not playing. When directors come on they’re like ‘Oh the characters got it. The actors got it. They’ve been living with this character longer then I have so I’m going to focus on this.’ But she was just like ‘I respect you guys; characters. I watch the show, but let’s try this,'” Rae recalled.
Of course, this conversation eventually got back to Washington, and she found great humor in it. “Died laughing. Love these women,” she stated when asked about the Insecure stars. Referencing Orji’s joking claim that she wanted to fight her she said: “Yvonne can say whatever she wants because she knows she’s BRILLIANT in the episode.” We can’t wait to see what goes down in this episode. But, for now, we’ll be thoroughly enjoying season 4 and making our best predictions.
