Keepin' It Locked 'Til She Gets A Rock: Insecure's Yvonne Orji On Being A 32-Year-Old Virgin
If you have ever tuned into an episode of HBO's standout Insecure, you have probably fallen in love with Issa Rae and her best friend Molly. Molly truly embodies the every woman. She's struggled finding a man, finding balance in the workplace, and still managing to find time for drinks with friends.
Molly, whose real name is Yvonne Orji, is a Nigerian-American who attended George Washington University. She grew up with the dream of being a medical doctor until she realized that she couldn’t bare the sight or smell of blood. She also flunked organic chemistry (how can you be a doctor and flunk your science courses right?).
Not wanting to disappoint her parents, she compromised by obtaining her Master’s in Public Health. During that time, she entered into the Miss Nigeria in America Pageant and when she realized she didn’t have a talent, she prayed and God told her to “do comedy”. It was her first step in the right direction as far as accomplishing her purpose in life.
Recently, our favorite TV girlfriend appeared on The Breakfast Club and shocked us all when she revealed that she is nothing like the character she plays on television. She also dropped gems the entire interview, took us to church and had us all feeling like we too could reclaim our power!
Here are 6 things we learned from Yvonne Orji during her TBC interview that will restore your faith in your life's purpose:
When God Says "Move", You Move
When asked how she got started in comedy, the Insecure co-star simply stated that one day she heard God say to pursue comedy so she did it. How often have you heard God tell you to do something or put something in your heart to do and you don't do it because of the risks that "might lie ahead". When God says move, you move, just like that (yes I just remixed Jesus with Ludacris, don't judge me).
[Tweet "When God says "Move", you move. Just like that. "]
Own Who You Are, No Matter Who Tries To Judge You
Yvonne, despite her character Molly’s sex life, is a 32-year-old virgin. Charlamagne jokingly told her that she played her character a little too well to be a virgin but Yvonne persisted that this was in fact her truth.
“Personally, I had plans to have sex when I turned 18. I was dating [a guy] and I had it figured out. But, I got to college at 17 in D.C and then I got saved.”
In a world where women especially are practically forced to compete with the next beautiful woman on social media, at school, the mall or even at work, Yvonne wears her 32-year-old virginity proudly despite judgement from both her male and female friends. She even has her own line of tees that bare the slogan, "Keepin' It Locked Til I Get That Rock."
Social media does a great job at making us feel as if we have to hide who we truly are but when you willingly lie to others about who you are, you’re devaluing your own self worth. Live and own your truth unapologetically and shine bright like the diamond you are.
[Tweet "Live and own your truth unapologetically and shine bright like the diamond you are."]
You Don't Finish In Second Place, You Win
Yvonne recently got an African tattoo tatted on her arm. In her native language, the tattoo translates in English as "We don't finish in second place, we win". We as women often struggle with accepting our victories and, in turn, settle with just simply finishing. Yvonne reminds us all we don't play to finish, we play to win.
Your Parents Don't Always Know Best
Yvonne recounted when she had to tell her parents that she no longer wanted to go to med school and feared they would not support her. She recounts:
“I was supposed to go to med school. I have a masters in public health because I delayed telling my parents that I wasn’t going to go to med school. After I got my Master's, I worked in Liberia and then finally I was like, 'Uh, okay so, do you realize that you should not chicken out and tell them what they want you to do is not what you want to do?' Like, how many degrees can you get before you tell your parents that you’re not going to med school?”
Growing up, she was surrounded by a supportive tribe and to veer from the path that had been laid for her was unconventional. She admitted she watched very little television growing up so the idea of her being an actor was unconventional but she knew that it was her heart's purpose and despite her parents' opinion she pursued and in 7 years (1 year less than if she would've gone to med school), she scored her big break.
Use What's In Your Hands
Ivonne vividly recalls a time where God asked her one of many rhetorical questions: "What's in your hands?" To which she replied, "If I knew, I wouldn't be crying right now," she recalls laughingly. That night she went to sleep and recounted waking up and seeing the scripture in Psalms 31:15 that read "My times are in your hands." She told God she would give him one more chance to fulfill the promises He had for her and instantly she began to "write her way out". Her next move proved to be her best move.
Sometimes People Will Help You Just Because You're Favored
Ever heard the phrase "favor ain't fair"? Yvonne knows that firsthand as she admits that she has openly asked people for help in her career along the way simply because she knows she had God's favor. In spite of how hard you work (or don't work), there are some things that naturally just come to you because of your unmerited favor. Don't shy away from open doors, walk through them, you deserve it.
[Tweet "Don't shy away from open doors, walk through them, you deserve it."]
Want to learn more about Yvonne Orji's journey? Catch the full interview below:
You can also check her out on the hit show Insecure on HBO.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images