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74th Primetime Emmy Awards - Arrivals

Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty

Natasha Rothwell made a name for herself in HBO’s groundbreaking series Insecure and expanded on that newfound recognition with a critically acclaimed role in The White Lotus.

Now, she’s been tapped to write and star in How to Die Alone a new half-hour comedy series from Hulu.

The synopsis reads, “The eight-part, half-hour series follows Melissa (Rothwell), a fat, Black neurotic who’s never been in love. After a comical brush with death, she refuses to settle for anything less than the life she wants, catapulting her on a journey to becoming “100% that bitch” in real life by any means necessary.”

The show comes as part of Rothwell’s Big Hattie Productions deal with ABC Signature. They are producing the new series for Onyx Collective which is also behind Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt starring Emayatzy Corinealdi and produced by Kerry Washington, Mahershala Ali’s The Plot, and the Questlove-directed Summer of Soul which won an Oscar earlier this year.

Rothwell’s next projects are Wonka and a role in the upcoming animated film Wish. The 42-year-old Kansas native started her career writing for Saturday Night Live but broke through as a writer, producer, and co-star on Insecure. She received an Emmy nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as resort staffer Belinda on The White Lotus.

Rothwell now has the chance to shine on her own show as she’ll be co-showrunner on How To Die Alone with Vera Santamaria and executive producer along with Desiree Akhaven. The work ethic and commitment to excellence she’s showcased thus far should help Rothwell juggle the many roles that come with the new production.

“I have a quote framed on my bedroom wall. It says, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” It’s a Steve Martin quote,”  she told The Atlantic in 2018. “Being a person of color at any job always means you’re going to work twice as hard for half as much. When I read that quote, I remember thinking, ‘Oh, it’s not just about working twice as hard for half as much—it’s about being excellent about what you’re doing, so that way people will pay attention and you’ll stand out.’ I always strove to just be the best.”