Just two days after the final season premiere of Insecure on Sunday and just one hour after actress and comedian Amanda Seales came under fire from members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated for her portrayal as a fictional soror on the show, director Melina Matsoukas spoke out in defense of the decision.
As previously reported by The Root, Seales began trending online Monday morning after several AKA members called her out for wearing what appeared to be official Greek paraphernalia and AKA colors in the episode, even though it’s long been established that her character is a fake member of the organization since the show’s premiere back in 2016 (as apparently is Molly, who drank from an AKA-branded mug during at least one scene during the series). While Seales herself eventually responded to the backlash via social media, frequent Insecure director Melina Matsoukas also defended the actress and her portrayal on the show, writing in an Instagram Story post:
“Not y’all coming for anyone else for my directorial decisions. @AmandaSeales is an actress who so beautifully embodies a character. We costume her appropriately, that’s how film and TV work. So if you want to come for anyone, I’ll take it. Just doing my job. Representing us. And trying to do it authentically.” (Say it again for the people in the back!)
Matsoukas isn’t the only one speaking out, however. In an internal memo sent to AKA sorors and provided to The Root, AKA Sorority Inc. Executive Director Cynthia D. Howell wrote:
“We were made aware of the unauthorized use of our brand on the HBO show Insecure early yesterday morning (Monday, October 25, 2021) and are taking steps to protect our brand. Please allow the corporate office to handle this matter. We all have a duty to protect our brand. You can do your part by refraining from engaging with anyone involved with the show or with anyone, including other sorors, on social media about this matter. Thank you for your continued assistance and cooperation.”
Later on Tuesday, Issa Rae also indirectly but hella directly entered the chat by posting a tweet featuring a clip from an old episode of her Awkward Black Girl YouTube series (you know, the same series that spawned the creation of Insecure in the first place) with the caption: “Ain’t shit changed.”
The clip shows a girl attempting to join in on a step routine with a fake sorority Gamma Ray before being scolded and told to stop.
Of course, Rae’s caption “aint shit changed” could hold double meaning, seeing as how that was the exact phrased hollered by Issa’s ratchet classmate Cheyenne after she robbed Issa’s alter ego Issa Dee and best friend Molly on Sunday’s season premiere. But then again, Issa has never been one to mince words or shy away from expressing how she feels, so I’m sure it means exactly what we all think it does.
New episodes of Insecure drop every Sunday on HBO and HBOMax.