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Actress, writer, and producer Issa Rae highlights the advantages of achieving success and fame later in life and showcases how the timing has uniquely enriched her journey.

The 38-year-old, who has been involved in the entertainment industry for over a decade, captivated fans' hearts in 2011 with her comedy web series The Misadventures of AWKWARD Black Girl, which she created and starred in. Although the series and the book of the same name earned Rae recognition, the star's career would elevate to new heights in 2016 with the release of her hit HBO series Insecure.


The show lasted for five seasons and ended in 2021. Since then, Rae has starred in countless films, including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the live-action Barbie, which has generated $1 billion at the box office, and created another HBO series Rap Sh!t.

In a resurfaced Masterclass video, Rae revealed why she was grateful that her accomplishments in the entertainment industry happened when she turned 30 while uplifting others still attempting to accomplish their goals by sharing stories of different celebrities who have succeeded at an older age.

Issa Rae On Why She Feels It's Never Too Late To Become Successful

In the clip shared on Masterclass' official Instagram page in July, The Photograph star disclosed that there is no timeline to start working on a particular goal.

Rae added that she felt that way because of the stories she heard of individuals, including actor Morgan Freeman and director Ava DuVernay, learning more about their craft and pursuing that career later in life.

"I don't think it's ever too late to get started. There's too many stories of people learning and getting their opportunities later," she said. "People like Morgan Freeman, who started late, and I think about Ava, who didn't pick up a camera until her mid-30s."

Issa Rae On Achieving Success In Her 30s

Further, into the conversation, Rae shared that she was "thankful" that her show Insecure was "greenlit" when she was 30 because she would have negatively impacted the experience.

"My show didn't get greenlit until I was 30. I'm thankful for that. Because I always say if I had started to pop in my early 20s, I would be out here hoeing," she stated.

Rae wrapped up the discussion by reminding her fans that although they too may be in the same situation, they shouldn't let that moment define who they are.

"So maybe it's good that you're popping later. You're more mature, and this doesn't define you," she said. "[It] doesn't define who you are, and I do feel I have more sense of self because I started later. Because I knew I really wanted to do this."

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Feature image by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Shipt

 

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