
Issa Fiance! Issa Rae's 'Insecure' Co-Stars Confirm Her Engagement

Wedding season is that you playa? Coming across the Himalayas? Well, according to the recently spotted rock on our favorite Awkward Black Girl's finger, it is. Since the Insecure creator appeared on the cover of Essence with a new ring, rumors have been swirling that Issa Rae is engaged to her Senegalese boo, Louis Diame. Apparently, she and the West African businessman have been together since her YouTube days, and we couldn't be happier for her! Although there has been quite a bit of gossip about the proposal, Issa has yet to issue a statement or comment to confirm the engagement.
A good friend will keep your secret, but Issa's co-stars prove that a BEST friend can't help but spread your good news.
Yvonne Orji and Jay Ellis both confirmed our theories on the red carpet of the 2019 NAACP Image Awards, spilling the beans that Issa is indeed engaged and told sources that the big news had them just as shook as we are. Jay Ellis told to Entertainment Tonight:
"We all found out in different ways because we're all on different text chains. We talk at different times, so we all found out at different times in different ways."
Although Issa and Louis were also spotted on the red carpet, they did not comment on their relationship status. Yvonne Orji, who plays Issa's best friend Molly on Insecure, on the other hand, had this to say about her friend's engagement:
"We're very excited for her. the reaction was all the same, like, 'You out here in these streets getting married, boo!?' That was the reaction."
This may seem like a surprise to many, but Issa gave us a subtle heads-up about her budding relationship in a 2017 interview with Page Six when she revealed that a mysterious Prince Charming had cut her single-season short.
Amanda Edwards/WireImage
"My 'hoe' phase was interrupted because I fell in love. I had all the intentions of being a hoe! Dudes were finally checking for me at one point. But I ended up meeting somebody. Now it's too late to go back."
Unlike most celebrities, Issa has made it a point to keep her relationship under wraps, and the reason why may surprise you. The 34-year-old actress told Marie Claire that although she loves her fans and values their opinions, she doesn't really give a damn what we think about her man. She explained:
"I get so much feedback about everything. The one thing I don't need feedback on is who I'm sleeping with."
Issa teaches us a principle that we can apply to our lives even if we're not celebrities. Being able to take the advice of others with a grain of salt is pretty much a superpower. Your friends, family, and associates will always give their two cents about your life, but it's important to be in touch enough with your feelings to not need their approval. Issa told Vogue:
"I don't want any input. As a writer, you put everything on the table. I'll take input on kids if I'm going to have kids. How do I not kill the kids? Work? Give me the input. Any other aspect of my life? Give me the input. But who I'm f*cking? No, I don't need input. I'm good."
Well said, sis! On behalf of the xoCommunity, congratulations Issa! We wish you and your boo a lifetime of eating tacos and kissing on the mouth!
Featured image by Amanda Edwards/WireImage
- Is Issa Rae Engaged? Louis Diame Engagement Clue | StyleCaster ›
- Congrats? Rumor Is Issa Rae Got Engaged! | Dolewite | 1011 The ... ›
- Is Issa Rae is Engaged? See The Gorgeous Ring! | Power 107.5 ›
- Is Issa Rae Engaged To Longtime Boyfriend Louis Diame ... ›
- Issa Rae's 'Insecure' Co-Stars Open Up About Her Engagement ... ›
- Is This Issa Rae's Fiancé? | MadameNoire ›
- Is Issa Rae Engaged? ›
- Issa Rae From Insecure Got Engaged!! (Ring & Fiancé Pics) - MTO ... ›
- Is Issa Rae Engaged? --Here's What We Know About Her Alleged ... ›
- Is Issa Rae Engaged? ›
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Soul Brother/Soul B Photos/Shutterstock