Issa Rae’s “Seen and Heard” celebrates Black brilliance in Hollywood
By Meg Richards and Nia Harmon
Indelible.
That’s the word that Jacqueline Coley used to describe the life and legacy of Issa Rae and her work.
Rae is a multi-hyphenate. She got her start writing film blogs and shooting her friend’s birthday parties to get experience editing and filming. Rae’s hit series, “Insecure,” put her comedic prowess on the map resonating with Black women around the world following the success of her popular YouTube series “Awkward Black Girl.”
She has since become an NAACP Image Award winner, Peabody Award winner, BET Award winner, and of course, President Barbie.
In a world where Hollywood runs on “regurgitating ideas” as Coley put it, Rae doesn’t rely on sequels and remakes; she’s a trailblazer, as proven by the dollars her new Black female led comedy, “One Of Them Days,” made at the box office opening weekend.
When asked about her favorite type of television to watch, Rae talked about her love for reality television and how that played a role in her becoming the t.v. and movie-star she is today. Beyond the drama and outrageous storylines, Rae was disheartened by the portrayal of Black women on these shows, recounting disappointing scenes in the early 2000s dating game-show, “Flavor of Love” starring rapper Flavor Flav.
In her newest work, “Seen and Heard,” directed by Giselle Bailey and Phil Bertelsen, she seeks to illuminate the rich history of Black television, bringing on greats like Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Shonda Rhimes to tell the story. In this two-part docuseries, Rae produces a chronicle of the trials and triumphs in Black Hollywood, an increasingly relevant story as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives continue being rolled back by the Trump administration.
“The diversity initiative needs a better publicist,” Rae said during her panel discussion with Coley.
Rae makes the work of trailblazers before her a focal point of “Seen and Heard,” emphasizing the importance of the sacrifices made by Black creatives in the past half century to bring viewers to what is now known as today’s “Golden Age of Black television.”
Along with opening doors for other Black creatives and entertainers, Rae is seeking to restore a culture that values the communal, theatrical experience — further punctuating the impact of “One Of Them Days” record-breaking box office success and critical renown.
“From the history to the current, if it’s about Black TV, you got them there,” Coley said to Rae.
“Seen and Heard” will be screening at the ZACH Theatre at SXSW in Austin at 2:30 p.m. CT.