08 Nov LET’S TALK ABOUT IT: ‘Insecure’ Star Jay Ellis Breaks Down Lawrence Blowing Up On Condola With Custody Battle Threats During Hella Emotional Fight

Episode 3 of “Insecure’s” final season was….A LOT. Lawrence (played by Jay Ellis) had the nerve to threaten Condola (played by Christina Elmore) with a custody battle over their son. Let’s discuss inside…

Somebody get Issa Rae on the line! Wait, before we get into this – WARNING! This post contains spoilers.

Episode 3 of “Insecure” premiered last night and it stirred up emotions in people they didn’t know a show could make them feel. Social media is flooded with reactions to last night’s episode that involved Lawrence (played by Jay Ellis) trying to figure out his life with his bomb new gig at a tech start-up in San Francisco, starting a new life in the Bay and figuring out fatherhood and a co-parenting situation with his son’s mother, Condola (played by Christina Elmore).  Oh, and the “Shut Uuuuuup!” heard around the damn world.

Viewers watched Lawrence genuinely wanting to be there for his son, Elijah, but also realizing wanting to be there just isn’t enough. In response, Condola leaves him out of decision making for their child, which in turns frustrates him. He blows up on Condola and even threatened her with a custody battle if she tried to keep him away. Well, he didn’t outright say a custody battle, but it was alluded.

Their conversation-turned-blow up was intense and… relatable AF.

While Jay Ellis and his character Lawrence are in different stages in life, their lives have a few parallels. Like, being a new dad.

We really wanted to test Condola saying last season “I don’t need you. Be involved as much or as little as you want” this episode was about saying be careful what you wish for if it’s not honest. And also Lawrence needing to own his part. #InsecureHBO

— Prentice Penny (@The_A_Prentice) November 8, 2021

But does that mean he gets to flip flop when he wants to be semi-involved and then suddenly heaviliy involved the next week?

In an IG live with showrunner Prentice Penny, Jay Ellis talked about how he was able to put himself in Lawrence’s shoes when it comes to fatherhood.

When Jay’s daughter was born, he was hit with wanting to be there for his child and also making moves in his career. Last season, Jay was tapped to direct episode 407. Before stepping into the director’s chair, the “Insecure” actor and his fiancée Nina Senicar welcomed their daughter. Seven days later, he had to hop on a flight to Mexico to location scout for his episode. In that moment on the plane, he said he felt helplessness, pondering if his daughter will know that he loves her and that he will always be there to protect and provide for her.

Peep their discussing below (starting at the 20-minute mark):

Thankfully, Jay Ellis understands his character’s short comings when it comes to be a present father in their child’s lives. And by shortcomings, WE mean toxicity.

During a discussion with Entertainment Weekly, he talked about the lack of effort Lawrence showed when it came to actually being a father to his son and why filming the episode was so frustrating for him.

Then, I think the frustration comes out like you just want him to do better. To your point, wanting to be there is not being there. Wanting to be a good dad is not being a good dad. Wanting to be a good co-parent is not being a co-parent. You have to do. So, I think it was just really frustrating because in the moments where he could do, when he’s in L.A., he just does it wrong. He’s never trying to include Condola in what he thinks is good parenting. He’s trying to put his good parenting on her. Never getting any response or engagement from her or just asking, “Hey, what do you need? How can I do better?” Just never asking that as opposed to just pushing it on her. I think all those moments were so frustrating because you just want to be like, “Yo, just stop being stupid. Just step out the way. You’re not the only one in this.” I remember reading it though at the table read and I was like, “Yo, America? America about to hate Lawrence, dude. I don’t know. I might have to get out the country for this episode. It’s going to get rough.” If they was mad at Lawrence back then? Oh, my God. I remember going to Prentice and I was like, “Hey, man, you think we maybe went too far with this one because it’s rough?” And he was like, “Nah, I think we have to explore this.”

One of the things I think is so brilliant about our writer’s room is they always say, “If it causes an argument in the room or someone’s emotions get messed with in the room in some way and they get triggered, it has to go in the script, because that means it’s going to happen for a viewer as well.” I think this episode is 100 percent that.

And he’s right, because folks are all in their feelings!

Peep some Twitter reactions below:

Why do I hate Lawrence and feel bad for him all at the same time? Hate this for me #InsecureHBO

— TheLimitDoesNotExist (@sylviamphofe) November 8, 2021

Lawrence was really out here treating parenting like his Best Buy job #InsecureHBO

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) November 8, 2021

Lawrence anytime he’s around Granola’s family #InsecureHBO pic.twitter.com/T7LZlcLlQz

— Richard Nevels (@Richie_l0c0) November 8, 2021

This was EASILY the best episode of the season thus far. It touched on so much and had so much depth to it. Lawrence has always been such a dynamic character. #InsecureHBO

— kevikev (@KevCoke6) November 8, 2021

It’s wild because Condola basically told Lawrence he didn’t need to be involved at all last season. And he probably took that as any level of involvement above zero would be seen as “good.” But things said in theory ain’t the same in practice. #InsecureHBO

— Rod (@rodimusprime) November 8, 2021

Please lord, please let me bring a child into this world with someone who I am married to/who I want to be with, and who wants to be with me. This life that Lawrence and Condola are living is NOT IT. #InsecureHBO

— kevikev (@KevCoke6) November 8, 2021

Stuck between feeling bad for Lawrence & understanding where Cambodia (Condola) is coming from #InsecureHBO #Insecure

— Joey’s Bad A$S (@AyoBrownSkinnn) November 8, 2021

Condola really hit Lawrence with the me and my baby we gon’ be alright we gon’ live a good life #insecure #InsecureHBO pic.twitter.com/wnVlnj0J0f

— . (@sontiachiquita) November 8, 2021

It appears Issa (the character) dodged a bullet.

By the way…

Girl. I was eyeing her Teal #Telfar purse. Adding it to my Christmas wish list. #InsecureHBO #Insecure #Insecuritea https://t.co/l1KRBtNDfu

— Yaa Yaa (@yaayaawrites) November 1, 2021

Have you caught on to Issa rocking the hard-to-get Telfar bag this season?!

Image credit: HBO // Glen Wilson pic.twitter.com/pvHq1Fh0gR

— Francheska (@HeyFranHey) October 25, 2021

The final season of “Insecure” debuted a new Telfar bag color. During several scenes, Issa is seen rocking a mini Telfar bag in light sage green. “Insecuratea” podcast co-host Francheska Medina posted a flick of her new bag alongside a handwritten note, which she received as a gift from Turini herself.

SAGE DROPS TOMORROW 11/9 9AM EST at https://t.co/EpbOnrYWjZ + https://t.co/nX2LDglMhl pic.twitter.com/Ob5fKKy4Hb

— TELFAR (@TELFARGLOBAL) November 8, 2021

The new color drops tomorrow night, but good luck grabbing one. They were already hard to get, but they’ll be even harder to get now that Beyonce and “Insecure” came through with the promo.

What were your thoughts about last night’s episode? Was Lawrence or Condola in the wrong? Both?  Why?  Let’s discuss!

EXTRAS:

1. “SNL’s” Kenan Thompson is set to host this year’s People’s Choice Awards, set to go down next month. STORY

Photo: Jay’s IG

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