How Natasha Rothwell Wrote Herself Into the Leading Role

Almost a decade (and many productive years of therapy) later, Rothwell, who has since appeared in fan-favorite roles in Insecure and The White Lotus, is sipping a colorful iced-tea drink in the verdant lounge of a Manhattan hotel, recounting how that terrifying incident inspired not just a personal reckoning, but also a creative breakthrough. On Sept. 13, Hulu will release the first series created by and starring the writer, actor, producer, and director. How to Die Alone casts Rothwell as Melissa, a self-conscious, self-sabotaging airport worker who has a brush with death during a lonely 35th birthday spent eating takeout and assembling IKEA-like furniture. Her roommate in the hospital, a wise older woman, urges her to “stop caring what other people think and start doing something that scares you.” This advice, coupled with the creeping awareness that she could have died before she’d let her life truly begin, catalyzes Mel’s bumpy transformation from a wallflower into a woman actively pursuing self-love, friendship, financial stability, professional fulfillment, adventure.