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Yvonne Orji, an Emmy-nominated actress, recalled the moment she considered comedy: after signing up for a pageant in college, she realized she needed a talent to showcase. As a devout Christian, Orji prayed for guidance and said God told her to try out comedy. She was skeptical at first but said God told her, “What else you got?”

In response, Haniyah Philogene, the student moderator at Saturday night’s Q&A, said, “I think we can all agree, thank God!”

In “Insecure,” Orji plays Molly Carter, whom Orji described in Goldstein Auditorium on Saturday night as a “nuanced and flawed” character who explores the awkward moments of being a Black woman in south Los Angeles. This Q&A event hosted by University Union took place in advance of the final episode of “Insecure,” set to air on HBO on Dec. 26.

With the show coming to a close in under two months, Orji reflected on her time playing and getting to know Molly Carter. She is grateful that the show continued to be renewed for further seasons and that her character and others on the show were able to flourish the way the writers wanted. Additionally, after spending five seasons playing Carter, she felt as if she adapted to some of her character’s traits.

“I grew up with Molly,” Orji said. “At some point we became parallel, and now we’re in sync.”

On the last day of filming, Orji recalled the bittersweet last scene she filmed and the sadness of leaving the set. It took especially long to finish up that day because everyone was crying, she said.

Looking back on her time on “Insecure,” Orji appreciated the show’s embodiment of representation and inclusivity. To her, African stories in mainstream U.S. culture often are limited to “Black Panther” or savior narratives about immigrants’ journeys to America. So, the “Insecure” co-star applauded the show’s ability to “humanize African stories.”

Orji also had the opportunity to return to comedy with her new HBO special, “Momma, I Made It!” The actress credits the success of this stand-up show to her Nigerian roots and her background as a first generation immigrant, which she said fueled her lines emotionally.

To many people’s surprise, a career in Hollywood was far from Orji’s original plan. After completing her public health degree at George Washington University, Orji realized that she may not be on the right path. After doing stand-up comedy for the first time in the pageant, she set her sights on the entertainment industry.

Nevertheless, Orji embraces her path to success, emphasizing that her nonlinear journey made the process that much more special.

“One thing life has shown me is everything is preparation for something else,” she said.

With Orji’s fame and success comes the ability to open doors for other women of color in the industry, she said. She hopes to make it easier for women from similar backgrounds as her to succeed in Hollywood and continue telling Black stories.

“With every level of success, you have a responsibility to bring others with you,” she said. “It costs you nothing to invite someone into the room.”

Many celebrities have an “I made it” moment in their career, Philogene said at the event. But for Orji, she measured her success by being able to take care of herself and her parents and to put food on the table.

Offering words of wisdom to the crowd of Syracuse University students, Orji said, “You don’t have to have it all figured out, and that’s OK … you may mess up your shot, but another one will come around.”

Orji wants to continue acting and doing stand-up comedy after “Insecure,” but she said she would also like to try directing and finding new ways to uplift immigrant stories in the entertainment industry. As a personal goal, Orji would like to write an “iconic” romantic comedy someday, she said.

The event celebrated Orji’s career, her journey and her decision to believe in herself in the first place.

“I think I was always me. I just didn’t know I could be me,” she said.

Published on November 1, 2021 at 12:34 am