While Issa Rae is used to getting high praise for any number of her achievements or TV/film projects—her latest role is unfortunately garnering anything but. And folks online aren’t holding their tongue about it.
All the chatter is stemming from her debut episode in the newest season of the popular Netflix show, “Black Mirror.” In the show, Rae plays a modern times A-list actress who’s thrust back into a 1940s romance film with the help of an immersive AI software.
And while fans had no issues with the plot and storyline, they were quick to express their displeasure over Rae’s acting chops with one user on TikTok going so far as to say the role should’ve been given to somebody else entirely.
“I know it’s unpopular, I know people love Issa Rae. She’s done some good work in the past but with this plot, with this storyline—I feel like she just didn’t fit the role,” Ryan Mabry said.
He went on to say that he felt Rae was mostly playing herself in the role and it was hard to see her as the actual character she was performing as.
In the comments section, folks agreed with his sentiments.
“I feel like she always plays Issa Rae,” wrote one user.
“I love her, she’s stunning but lacks depth and range as an actor. She always playing herself but because she’s popular we accept it,” said another user.
Added another, “This episode made me realize Issa just isn’t that good of an actress which is so hard for me to admit.”
Another user Dreaux’s Reviews on TikTok also made a similar video saying that she while she supports all of Rae’s business endeavors—she has to be honest and say that she can’t act.
“‘Awkward Black Girl,’ cool. ‘Insecure,’ cool. Anything beyond that? Get behind the camera,” she said. “Her abilities do not succeed what was needed beyond those two series.”
In the comments section, people shared her viewpoint.
“I didn’t wanna admit it either but she’s not a good actress maybe a good writer but actress no,” wrote one user.
“Love Issa down but she needs to work on her range. She can’t play herself in every role,” said another.
Added one other user, “I thought I was tripping! I love her in Insecure but this role was not for her.”
This story originally appeared on The Root, our sister site, on Tuesday, April 15.
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