Yvonne Orji talks exclusively to Melan Magazine about friendships, the importance of self-care and what’s next during an interview to promote her latest film, Vacation Friends.

We have a lot of time for the talented Yvonne Orji. The actress who has played Molly on Insecure for the last five years has finally said goodbye to the role that catapulted her to fame in the popular series which is set to air its final season on 24 October 2021 in the UK. But we don’t have to be without her for too long as fans can currently catch her starring in Disney’s Vacation Friends, alongside Lil Rel Howery.

Yvonne Orji & Lil Rel Howery bring the laughs: Vacations Friends review

It’s with a particular pride that we view Yvonne Orji’s career. The last time we interviewed the actress in 2017, she shared with us a number of career goals that were on her bucket list and since then, she has come out swinging, having achieved published her bestselling book, Bamboozled By Jesus, starred in her very own comedy special, Momma, I Made It! and she still stays living her absolute best life going by the exotic, lush holidays she regularly posts on the ‘gram.

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We love to see Yvonne shine, and she gets to do that in her latest film; Disney’s Vacation Friends.

So, what are vacation friends? The premise of the film is all about people you meet and spend time with on vacation. Chances are, they’re not necessarily people you would choose to be friends with if you met them in your real lives, through work or school or in your neighbourhood. They’re more the kind of people you meet when you’re just winging it and not taking anything seriously and in the frame of mind just to have a good time. And that’s what happens to Marcus and Emily (Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji) when they befriend a wild couple on their holiday. Deciding to let loose for once and live in the moment, the usually level-headed couple enjoy a week of uninhibited fun and debauchery with their new “vacation friends.” However, months after their walk on the wild side, Marcus and Emily are horrified when Ron and Kyla show up uninvited at their wedding, creating chaos and proving that what happens on vacation, doesn’t necessarily stay on vacation.

Hella interview: When we met Yvonne Orji (Insecure’s Molly)

During the press junket for the film, which also stars John Cena and Meredith Hagner (who play thrill-seeking vacation pals Ron and Kyla), we grabbed five minutes with Yvonne to talk about the film, her friends and what she’s going to be working on next.

Read on for highlights from the video.

When did you last step out of your comfort zone?

“Probably when I embarked on a 12/13 city comedy tour and shot a one-hour comedy special, there was nothing comfortable about that. But we did, we made it and here we are.”

Momma, she made it! Yvonne Orji’s comedy special now on Sky Comedy

What’s the best vacation you’ve been on, and what made it special?

“I went to French Polynesia, Bora Bora and that was just great because it was luxury at its finest. I’d just come off filming the last season of Insecure and we had been shooting for six months through COVID… You know this is when you need an escape? That was what that was for me. I needed an escape and that was just delicious; to see God’s goodness in nature and to see the lagoons, the clear water, really just being free in the wide-open ocean. That was beautiful. I can’t lie.

The film (Vacation Friends) has some scenes of people being really wild. Who is that wild friend among your friendship group?

“I don’t think that we have a super-wild friend. I think we gas each other up enough to be zany, but I don’t think anybody’s doing cocaine! [as they were in the film]. That much I know.

You’ve been really busy these last few years, with so much happening. What’s next for you?

“I have a couple of things brewing. I do have a show that I’m creating with Oprah and David Oyelowo, as executive producers. This [the film] will also be part of the Disney family. Yes, there’s lots of exciting things in the works.