Natasha Rothwell's Series 'How to Die Alone' Was Inspired by Her Previous Dating Beliefs

Actor Natasha Rothwell is well on her way to becoming a powerhouse in the television world. After her breakout role as Kelli Prenny in Insecure, the Wichita, Kan. native proved she can command a dramatic role with Hulu's The White Lotus.

Natasha is back with Hulu for the streamer's new dramedy, How to Die Alone. Not only does she star as the show's lead, Melissa (Mel for short), it's also her first project as a writer and director.

Fans are excited to witness Natasha as the lead of her show as a Black and plus-size woman. The show allows the actor to play a multifaceted character who faces a life-altering experience that forces her to change everything about her life, including the romantic side. Natasha has said Mel and her have similar love lives, as she hasn't always had the best luck with romantic relationships. However, is she dating anyone now? Here's what to know.

Natasha is currently single and isn't too pressed to mingle. While Who's Dated Who reported that she previously dated Idris Elba, there's seemingly no confirmation the actors were ever in a relationship.

In September 2024, Natasha said in an interview with Gayle King for Oprah Daily that her real life as a single woman in her 20s, 30s, and now 40s inspired the title of How to Die Alone. She said she grew up thinking dying alone was the worst thing that could happen to her, but confirmed that's thankfully no longer the case.

"I think in my early 20s, I was convinced that dying alone was the worst thing that could ever happen and [I was] completely focusing on the romantic version of love," Natasha told Gayle. "I realized as I've gotten older and with 20 years of therapy that being alone isn't scary."

She continued, "I actually quite like being alone, it's the being lonely thing to fear. So I do think that the way to die alone, to answer the question of the show, is to die without feeling lonely and to find ways to satiate that longing with real connection. It doesn't have to be romantic, there's so much love in my life, platonic and familial, and so I wanted to show that."

Natasha's journey to getting How to Die Alone greenlit is a love story all on its own. She said she began her "passion project" while on the set of Insecure and took "about seven years" to get in front of Hulu, which is still a milestone many TV writers rarely reach.

"I started working on it at HBO, and when I was on the network doing Insecure, I was developing this in the background," Natasha explained to Gayle for Oprah Daily. "I was developing this in the industry, knows it takes a long time to get things made, and I had so many opportunities to change it, walk away from it, but I really believed in the story that I was telling, and so I just fought for it. And seven years later, I'm so excited it's seeing the light of day."

Natasha also called How to Die Alone the "love of my life" as she reflected on the show's first season. Her love story may be unfinished, but the multitalented star loves what she does and the woman she has become, and there's so much beauty in that!

Stream How to Die Alone on Hulu.