Amanda Seales Speaks Out Against Issa Rae's Empowerment of Women

Amanda Seales Denounces Issa Rae

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images; Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

Amanda Seales has openly shared her thoughts on her past issues with her former Insecure boss Issa Rae. In a recent interview on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast on Thursday, April 25, Seales, who is 42 years old, talked about the ongoing tension between her and Rae, who is 39.

"I have always kept this to myself, because I wanted to shield Issa," Seales shared. "I see Issa achieving something in this industry that very few people have the opportunity to do."

Rae both created and starred in Insecure, where Seales was a co-star throughout all five seasons.

Seales revealed that the fracture began at a 2019 pre-Emmys party for Black entertainers, where she was asked to leave by Rae's publicist Vanessa Anderson. Following the incident, Rae reached out to Seales, claiming she had no involvement and advised Seales and Anderson to resolve their differences on their own.

Seales admitted that she never fully understood the source of the animosity, but the underlying tension remained throughout the duration of Insecure.

Despite the chaos, Seales remained determined to support Rae. However, this decision ended up backfiring for her.

She shared, "It has reached a point where my efforts to defend Issa have been twisted against me. There is a false narrative being spread about me. People are labeling me as a mean girl on set, accusing me of causing harm to others."

As Seales’ alleged reputation began preceding her, she said the entire notion didn’t make any sense.

Amanda Seales Denounces Issa Rae

Natasha Rothwell, Yvonne Orji, Issa Rae, Amanda Seales, and Wade Allain-Marcus star in the show "Insecure" produced by Raymond Liu/Warner Bros.

She expressed, "It's your show. You are my boss. I can't even play the mean girl role here because you have the power to fire me. So, there's no way for me to act like a mean girl in this situation."

Seales claimed that the damage had already been done, leading to the rest of the cast isolating her. She expressed feeling hurt by their actions, stating, "Everybody knows what’s going on. They don’t say anything to me. And that’s just unkind."

Seales disagreed with Sharpe's statement about Rae being empowering to women. When Sharpe mentioned a conversation he had with Lil Rel Howery, who praised Rae, Seales disagreed. She felt Rae did not make her feel empowered and believed Rae did not think she deserved to be protected.

Ultimately Seales concluded, “I have still always protected her because I felt like it was my responsibility to do so. But it is not.”

We has reached out to Rae for comment.

Editor's P/S:

Amanda Seales' revelations about her strained relationship with Issa Rae shed light on the complexities of power dynamics and interpersonal conflicts within the entertainment industry. While Seales' commitment to supporting Rae is admirable, it is concerning that her efforts were allegedly misconstrued and turned against her. The lack of support from the cast, despite their awareness of the situation, is a testament to the corrosive effects of workplace isolation.

It is essential to foster inclusive and supportive work environments, where individuals feel valued and respected. Rae's alleged actions, as described by Seales, raise questions about her leadership style and the impact it has on her colleagues. By openly discussing her experiences, Seales is not only shedding light on her own situation but also highlighting the systemic issues that can exist within creative workplaces.