Issa Rae Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Issa Rae’s Net Worth?

Issa Rae is an accomplished American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director with a net worth of $20 million. Her career took off with her role as J in the web series “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” (2011–2013), which she not only created but also wrote, produced, and directed. Most recognized for co-creating, writing, producing, and starring in the HBO series “Insecure” (2016–2021), she has also featured in films such as “The Hate U Give” (2018), “Little” (2019), “The Photograph” (2020), and “The Lovebirds” (2020), as well as the TV series “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (2019–2021). Additionally, Issa was behind the creation, writing, production, and direction of the web series “The Choir” (2013–2015) and launched the HBO Max series “Sweet Life: Los Angeles” (2021) and “Rap Sh!t” (2022).

With over 25 production credits to her name, her work includes “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “The Photograph,” “The Lovebirds,” “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” and “Rap Sh!t.” Rae authored the 2015 “New York Times” bestseller “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” and provided the voice for Mom in the Oscar-winning animated short film “Hair Love” (2019). She was recognized twice on “Time” magazine’s list of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People,” once in 2018 and again in 2022, and in 2012, she was selected for “Forbes” magazine’s “30 Under 30.” In 2019, Issa also founded the record label Raedio.

WarnerMedia/HBO Deal

In 2021, Issa’s production company, Hoorae, secured a five-year, “eight figure” agreement with WarnerMedia. For context, in 2019, Mindy Kaling entered into a 5-year deal worth $50 million with Warner Brothers, suggesting that Issa’s deal was likely of a similar scale.

Early Life

Jo-Issa Rae Diop, known as Issa Rae, was born on January 12, 1985, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Delyna, a teacher from Louisiana, and her father, Abdoulaye, a neonatologist/pediatrician from Senegal, raised her alongside her four siblings. The family spent some time in Dakar, Senegal, during her childhood, before moving to Potomac, Maryland, where they enjoyed activities not typically associated with ‘black’ culture, such as swimming, street hockey, and celebrating Passover with Jewish friends.

When Issa reached sixth grade, the family relocated back to Los Angeles, settling in the affluent View Park-Windsor Hills area. It was while attending King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science that she started acting, and her parents separated during her teenage years. After completing her high school education, Rae graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in African and African-American Studies.

At Stanford, she delved into writing and directing stage plays and creating music videos, as well as the satirical web series “Dorm Diaries.” During her time there, Issa met Tracy Oliver, who would later star in and co-produce “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.” Following her graduation, Rae received a theater fellowship at New York City’s Public Theater, and both she and Oliver enrolled in courses at the New York Film Academy. Although she contemplated attending law or business school, the success of “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” in 2011 prompted her to abandon those plans.

Career

After its YouTube debut in 2011, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” quickly went viral, gaining significant media attention. Rae and Oliver initiated a Kickstarter campaign to fund the series, attracting over 1,900 contributions totaling more than $56,000. The web series won a Shorty Award for Best Web Show in 2012, and Rae later launched additional YouTube series such as “The Choir” (2013–2015) and “Roomieloverfriends.”

(2013–2014). In 2014, Issa worked on various short films, contributing as a writer for “Black Twitter Screening” and producing both “Hard Times” and “Protect and Serve.” By 2015, Rae made her feature film debut with “A Bitter Lime” and took on the role of producer for “Killing Lazarus.” The following year, she started her lead role in “Insecure,” which spanned 44 episodes across five seasons, garnering multiple awards and nominations, including 14 Primetime Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. The series received recognition at the 2018 Peabody Awards for “creating a series that authentically captures the lives of everyday young, black people in modern society,” and was listed among the American Film Institute’s Top 10 Television Programs of 2017.

In 2018, Issa portrayed April Ofrah in “The Hate U Give,” a drama based on Angie Thomas’s 2017 novel of the same name, and she also provided her voice for two episodes of the Netflix animated series “BoJack Horseman.” During 2019, she starred in the comedy film “Little” alongside her co-star from “The Hate U Give,” Regina Hall, and “Black-ish” star Marsai Martin; she also began producing and appearing in HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” In 2020, Rae shared the screen with Lakeith Stanfield in “The Photograph” and Kumail Nanjiani in “The Lovebirds.” She also hosted “Saturday Night Live,” made a guest appearance on “Sesame Street” and “#blackAF,” and starred in HBO’s “Coastal Elites.” The film “Vengeance” was another project for her in 2022, which was both written and directed by B. J. Novak, known for his role as Ryan Howard on the NBC sitcom “The Office.” In June 2021, it was revealed that Issa would lend her voice to Jessica Drew / Spider-Woman in the animated Marvel film “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” In April 2022, she secured a role in Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” film.

Personal Life

In July 2021, Issa married businessman Louis Diame in France. Rae first publicly displayed her engagement ring on the cover of “Essence” magazine in April 2019. She has been outspoken regarding police brutality against African Americans; following the 2016 shooting of Alton Sterling, she raised $700,000 to support his children’s education. An advocate for women’s rights and civil rights, she has collaborated with groups such as Black Lives Matter and the ACLU. On “Insecure,” Rae frequently highlighted Black-owned businesses, an initiative she expressed has led to gentrification in South L.A., where the show was filmed. In a 2021 interview with “The Hollywood Reporter,” she reflected, “I’m like, ‘Oh, what have I done, but I also feel proud of the Black businesses that we’ve heralded and the areas that we’ve championed.”

Awards and Nominations

Issa Rae has received seven Primetime Emmy nominations, which include Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for “Insecure” (2018, 2020, and 2022), Outstanding Comedy Series for “Insecure” (2020), Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (2021), and Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (2020 and 2021). Furthermore, “Insecure” brought Issa recognition through various awards from BET Awards (Best Actress), Black Reel Awards for Television (Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series), Gracie Allen Awards (Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy or Musical), NAACP Image Awards (Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series), NAMIC Vision Awards (Best Performance – Comedy), Pena de Prata (Best Actress in a Comedy Series and Best Comedy Series), and Satellite Awards (Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical). The series also earned nominations from major award bodies including the Golden Globes, Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, Gold Derby Awards, International Online Cinema Awards, MTV Movie + TV Awards, and National Film and Television Awards.

Additionally, Rae has been recognized by the Online Film & Television Association, People’s Choice Awards, and Television Critics Association Awards.

At the 2022 PGA Awards, Rae received the Visionary Award, followed by the Vanguard Award at the 2017 “Essence” Black Women In Hollywood event. Her production company’s web series, “Giants,” won Best Drama Series at The Streamy Awards in 2018, and in 2019, she was awarded a Webby for Video Person of the Year. In 2020, Issa garnered People’s Choice Award nominations for Favorite Drama Movie Star for “The Photograph,” as well as for Favorite Female Movie Star and Favorite Comedy Movie Star for “The Lovebirds.” Furthermore, she has been nominated for a Black Reel Award for Television for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (2020) and received NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film) for “BoJack Horseman” (2019), Outstanding Guest Performance for “Saturday Night Live” (2021), and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for “The Photograph” (2021).

Real Estate

Rae possesses a residence in South L.A., and in February 2022, she listed it on Airbnb for $56 per night during Valentine’s Day weekend. In the listing, she stated:

“I’m inviting guests to spend a weekend in my hometown to experience the culture, businesses and communities that influence my storytelling on screen. I can’t wait to show guests all the things that make black LA so special firsthand.“

She also remarked, “During this epic weekend, I hope you come to appreciate my community’s rich history and its many contributions to LA.”