HBO’s latest “Backstories” video features an animated Yvonne Orji talking about her ascent from pageant queen to playing Molly on Insecure.

In the video, Orji gives a quick history of her Hollywood journey, which started by participating in Miss Nigeria in America. She became a comedian by necessity; she realized she needed a talent to compete.

“Two weeks before the pageant, they called and asked what my talent was. Now, when you’re a child of immigrants, you’re not allowed to have talents. Your only talent is to get straight As,” she said. “The only thing I knew to play on the piano was ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb,’ and I just didn’t think that was going to cut it. So I said, ‘God, I need a lifeline,’ and I heard loud as day, I heard the voice of God say, ‘Do comedy.'”

She also talks about meeting the real person Molly is based on, and how scary it was to realize both she and the real Molly are like each other’s doppelgangers.

Granted, this video doesn’t replace that season of Insecure you’re desperately waiting on; as we reported earlier, the series won’t be back until 2020. However, this insight into Orji’s Hollywood journey should at least make you feel a little more connected to Orji and Molly.

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Photo credit: HBO/Screencap

Backstories

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