Insecure presents audiences with several intelligent personalities. As Issa and her friends navigate their early thirties, they face a number of challenges. In order to make it through the struggles they face, they are forced to use their wits. Some characters in Insecure are more likable than others and their smarts sometimes affect their agreeability.
Characters like Kelli Prenny captivate audiences with their goofy antics. Other people like Nathan Campbell appear stoic and thoughtful. However, the intellect of the characters in the show is put on display most clearly in how they handle difficult situations with critical thinking.
Daniel King
![Insecure: Main Characters Ranked By Intelligence](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pjimage-45-1.jpg)
Fans see Daniel most regularly during the first three seasons of Insecure. Daniel is not without intelligence, and clients hire him for musical engineering due to his thoughtful talents in the studio. However, the way he handles conflict makes him seem less astute than his peers.
Daniel is stubborn. He misses a chance to work with a prestigious artist, Spyder, when he insists on using his own beat instead of a collaboration Spyder preferred. However, Daniel’s most foolish actions come with his relationship with Issa Dee. Even though Issa admits Daniel was “just an itch [she] needed to scratch,” he lets their tumultuous relationship into his life when he allows her to stay with him. Issa tells Daniel what he is to her, but he is too dense to listen.
Nathan Campbell
![Nathan on the beach in Insecure.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pjimage-42.jpg)
Nathan is the only main character who is new to L.A. As such, he faces different challenges than the rest of the main characters. As he gets acquainted with the city, he is forced to problem solve. The way he takes on tough situations shows his lack of wits.
Nathan’s foolishness is shown in his first moments in the series. Issa picks him up while working for Lyft, and instigates a fight in her car. The brawl leaves him without a ride and Issa with difficulties in her employment. Nathan doesn’t take the time to think through his decisions, and his clouded judgment makes him less bright than other characters from the series.
Molly Carter
![Molly at work in Insecure](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Molly-at-Work-Insecure.jpg)
Molly appears to be one of the most intelligent characters in Insecure. She is an accomplished lawyer with a beautiful apartment and a loving group of family and friends. However, Molly repeats the same foolish behavior over and over again. Molly faces romantic troubles and often vents to Issa and their group of friends.
There are several suitors Molly could end up with in Insecure. Her friends tell her what she needs to do to break her cycle of short-lived lukewarm romances, but she can’t seem to digest the information. In her office, fans see the same behavior when she deliberately disregards suggestions and takes on more work than she can handle. Molly is successful, but her behavior comes across as dimwitted.
Kelli Prenny
![Closeup of Kelli Prenny in Insecure.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/kellie-insecure.jpg)
Kelli is perhaps the biggest personality in Insecure. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind and is often the focal point of humor in scenes she appears in. Her wacky behavior can seem foolish, or even get her into trouble like when she is tased at Coachella. Kelli is goofy but proves she is no fool.
Kelli appears as successful as Molly. She is a financial advisor and has used her shrewd mind to become a success. However, Kelli’s intelligence is best presented in her growth. It takes a supple mind to realize what you want to change and act on it. By season 5, Kelli learns to be more peaceful by meditating and works to get a job that benefits her instead of making “rich white men richer.”
Chad Kerr
![Chad sipping soda in Insecure.](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pjimage-44-1.jpg)
Chad is perhaps Lawrence Walker’s funniest friend. The notable Sagittarius in Insecure is Kelli’s counterpoint to the men in the series. He spouts several lines that make for some of the funniest jokes of the series. However, other lines Chad gives viewers prove he is one of the most intelligent characters in the series.
Chad presents his intelligence in his success. He appears to have everything he wants in life, both immaterial and physical. However, Chad’s bluntness shows his smarts most clearly. He is confident in what he says, and often expels wisdom to audiences, even in simple phrases like, “pressure busts pipes.”
Issa Dee
![Issa Rae in Insecure](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/issa-dee.jpg)
Creator Issa Rae presents a fictionalized version of herself in her character Issa Dee. Issa is the protagonist of Insecure, and fans can’t help but relate with her. Issa shows her intelligence with her growth throughout the series, along with her critical problem-solving. However, she isn’t the most intelligent character on the show.
Issa’s foolish behavior is best presented in her relationships. She doesn’t think things through before she acts, leading others to call her “inconsistent.” However, once she has enough time to reflect on her actions, she is thoughtful about her relationships and works to make them right. Her attention to detail shows her smarts, and she becomes wise by season 5.
Tiffany DuBois
![Tiffany smiling in Insecure](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pjimage-43.jpg)
Tiffany appears to be one of the most stable characters in Insecure. While Issa struggles to find a fulfilling relationship and employment that agrees with her, Tiffany seems happy with her job and husband. Furthermore, she isn’t afraid to keep reminding her friends about it.
Tiffany’s life seems perfect to her friends at times. However, they learn it isn’t after she disappears following her pregnancy. She learns from her past, preparing for similar problems if she moves to Denver as planned. Tiffany shares her wisdom with her friends, saying things like “it doesn’t have to be the smart choice, to be the right choice.”
Martin Lawrence Walker
![Lawrence outdoors in Insecure](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Lawrence-outdoors-in-Insecure.jpg)
Lawrence is one of audiences’ favorite characters. In fact, hating Lawrence is one of the most unpopular opinions some fans have about Insecure. He faces the challenges of being a new dad, changing jobs, moving, and several romantic relationships throughout the series. The way he handles these situations reveal him to be perhaps the most intelligent character.
Lawrence learns from his mistakes and uses critical thinking to make the best solutions to his problems. When he realizes he can’t be a good father to his son in northern California, he makes the tough decision of quitting his job and moving back. He shows his emotional intelligence by forgiving Issa. He also works in tech, an industry notorious for its big minds. Lawrence proves to have one of these big minds with his actions.