Issa Rae On Playing A Maskless, Pregnant, Motorcycle Riding Spider-Woman In ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse,’ “Who Gon’ Check Me Boo?”

Have you seen Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse yet?

Issa Rae spoke with BOSSIP Sr. Content Director Janeé Bolden about her latest role as Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman in ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.’ The actress and entrepreneur revealed that she was a longtime fan of the Spiderman character and was almost jealous that this generation got an Afro-Latino version, thanks to Miles Morales. Issa added that she initially didn’t watch the Miles Morales franchise because she typically gravitates more to live-action than animated projects, but after watching she became a fan and was thrilled at the opportunity to be part of ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.’

Check out our Q&A with her below:

You’ve been a longtime fan of the Spider-Man franchise, do you think you manifested this role?

I don’t know that I manifested it because I just didn’t imagine it for myself. I was just such a fan and there was part of me that was just like, ‘I don’t want to be in this world because I love it so much,’ but of course when I got the call I was geeked.

Issa Rae Says She Was Jealous This Generation Got An Afro-Latino Spider-Man

You’re known for rooting for everybody Black and this film is very multicultural, can you talk about those elements and what you ?

I remember when Miles Morales was introduced, cause I’m a hardcore Peter Parker, original lore fan, so when Miles Morales was introduced I almost felt jealous. Like ‘So this generation is going to have like a an Afro Latino Spiderman? That’s crazy and are they going to appreciate it?’ and so part of me was just like, ‘OK I can’t wait to see where this comic series goes and if it picks up.’ Then I saw that it got the movie and actually avoided watching it because I have watched like all the Spider-Man movies. I was like I’ve seen live action, I’m not really animated person and people kept telling me like ‘Oh you like Spider-Man and you haven’t seen Spider-verse? I felt like people were hyping it and then when I watched it I was just so impressed by one, how authentic it was and two, the music was incredible, and you can’t fake that. I gotta shout out Kier Lehman who was the music supervisor on Insecure with us. He did Spider-Verse and I was like ‘Ah man that’s why it’s so tight.’ It’s just like you could identify with so many things in the first movie and the second movie is no different. It is so representative of the world, but it’s so culturally specific.’

Issa Rae Says ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’ Helped Her Realize She Has A Long Way To Go

Being a boss in many ‘multiverses’ yourself, did working on this film, which has three directors, teach you anything that you would bring back to your businesses or productions?

This was such a new process and new experience for me. I realize there’s so much that I don’t know and watching those film makers, being in sessions with them… When you’re doing an animated film you’re in a booth with the directors, so it’s in a sense different, but way more intimate, because it’s just one-on-one you and them and you get to see their process and their brains working real time. I didn’t know they had that many directors. I didn’t know who everybody was high key until the film came out. I was like, ‘Oh that’s what you did?’ So just even the process of seeing the attention to detail, the different layers of animation, the different types of animation, it just made me want to be a better filmmaker and and figure out how to step in. Also just seeing which role that everybody had in those particular films, it made me realize how long a way I have to go in terms of trying to branch out and make a mark on the industry.

That’s super humble of her to say because Issa has definitely made a huge impact on this industry.

Issa Rae Speaks On Pregnant ‘Spider-Verse’ Role, Says If She Was Pregnant She’d Keep It Private ‘Like Rihanna’

Issa also spoke about playing a pregnant character after being the subject of pregnancy rumors, saying that they were annoying and if she were actually pregnant she probably would keep her pregnancy private like Rihanna did.

You are a pregnant Spider-Woman in this film, now we can finally say congratulations because I know you were sick of those rumors, you were dealing with those rumors for a minute. It had to be like Rihanna, ‘Stay out of my uterus!’

My God! But Rihanna was actually pregnant, which I feel her, like I would if I were pregnant, I wouldn’t tell people I was pregnant, so I 100% feel her. But yes Spider-Woman is pregnant in this film, she is still fighting crime. She’s also the only Spider person who does not wear a mask. So she’s out here fighting crime with her bare face, while pregnant. She’s just like, ‘Who gon’ check me Boo? And I love that!

Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is in theatres now!