Natasha Rothwell is best-known for her role as Kelli on HBO’s hit show, Insecure. Most fans would agree that Kelli is easily one of the most likable and drama free characters on the show. As one of Issa’s best friends, she’s always around to lend a listening ear and you never have to worry about whether or not she’s being honest. While the role has definitely helped take Rothwell’s character to the next level, there is much more to the talented actress than most fans have seen. Keep reading for 10 things you didn’t know about Natasha Rothwell.
1. She Used To Be A Teacher
Natasha’s path to the screen has been a little nontraditional. Although she studied theater in college, her big break didn’t come right away. However, she knew she wanted her full-time job to be something that was still connected to the arts, so she got a job as a high school drama teacher in the Bronx. Her time as a teacher has served as one of her biggest inspirations.
2. She Used To Be A Writer On Saturday Night Live
Before getting the opportunity to work on Insecure, Natasha worked as a writer on the popular sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live. When asked about her experience on the show, she told NPR, “I don’t think it’s meant to be easy. I also think that being in a 40-year-old institution that is predominantly white, as a woman of color, it’s a different journey. And I’m not trying to sugarcoat it or whatever. It’s just sort of at this point – my process with having been on the show, and now sort of having hindsight, it’s really sort of matter of fact where I learned a ton.”
3. She Wants To Be In A Rom Com
Natasha Rothwell has plans to be your next favorite romantic comedy star. She thinks that the romantic comedy world could use a little bit of diversity and she wants to be the one to bring it.She told the New York Times Magazine, “I want to be able to tell those stories and have someone in the audience that looks like me – a plus-size black girl – who doesn’t have to imagine so far that she can fall in love or that those stories are for her too.” More than anything, though, she really wants to have the opportunity to run through the airport in a dramatic love scene.
4. She’s An Activist
Funny may be her thing, but Natasha Rothwell also knows when to be serious. She is very passionate about speaking up for the causes she believes in. She has been especially critical of President Trump’s administration. For her, using her platform to speak out against injustice is one of the most important things she can do.
5. She Wore Pajamas To Her First Meeting With Issa Rae
Preparing for a big business meeting usually means putting on your best clothes. However, Natasha Rothwell did things a little differently during her first meeting with Issa Rae. The two met on a video conference call. Rothwell put on one of her fanciest shirts and completed her outside with a pair of pajama pants. She described herself as “a walking mullet”.
6. The Movie Say Anything Inspired The Name Of Her Dog
Natasha Rothwell is the proud dog mom of her fur baby, Lloyd Dobler. The dog is named after the main character of the 1989 film, Say Anything who was portrayed by John Cusack. If you’d like to paint a mental picture of who this character is, he’s the guy who held a boombox in the air and stood outside of his crush’s window.
7. Her Drama Teacher Inspired Her
When Natasha was a high school student, she participated in her school’s drama program where she first learned about theater. She told The Undefeated, “I definitely was inspired by drama teachers in high school named Mr. Walsh and Ms. O’Neil, and both of them were very formative in helping me sort of understand theater. ”
8. She’s Working On A New HBO Show
Natasha Rothwell has had a lot of success on HBO, but she doesn’t plan on stopping there. She is currently working on a new show on HBO where she will be an executive producer as well as the star. There isn’t much information on the show at the moment, but with Natasha’s track record it’ll likely be a hit.
9. She Used To Work At Blockbuster
Long before the days of streaming movies at home, there was Blockbuster. If you’re too young to remember Blockbuster, it was a video rental store where customers could rent movies and video games for a certain period of time. One of Rothwell’s first jobs was working at a local Blockbuster. She also worked at McDonald’s for a short period of time.
10. She Wanted To Be A Journalist
Before realizing her true calling, Natasha Rothwell thought she wanted to be a journalist. When she went to college she initially planned on studying journalism. However, she eventually realized that although she liked to write, journalistic writing wasn’t something she truly enjoyed. Soon after, she began developing her skills as a creative writer.
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