Michaela Coel in a scene from ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’
| Photo Credit: DAVID LEE
British star Michaela Coel is teaming up once again with HBO and BBC, four years after collaborating with them for her critically acclaimed limited series I May Destroy You. Coel has created and stars in First Day on Earth, a ten-episode drama series co-produced by HBO and the BBC, a press release stated.
In the new show, the 36-year-old actor plays the role of British novelist Henri, who feels stuck as work has dried up and her relationship is going nowhere. “When she’s offered a job on a film in Ghana, West Africa — her parents’ homeland, where her estranged father lives — she can’t resist the chance to reconnect with him and the country of her heritage.
“But when she arrives neither the job nor her father turn out the way she expected, and soon Henri has to deal with danger and hypocrisy, form new friendships, lose her illusions, and create a new sense of identity — one that might leave her stronger, but could also break her,” read the official ploline.
Coel, also known for starring in films such as Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has executive produced the new show alongside Jesse Armstrong, Phil Clarke and Roberto Troni for Various Artists Limited (VAL), in association with A24.
“First Day on Earth is another very personal story for me which I hope will engage viewers from all over the world, and I can’t wait for audiences to go on Henri’s journey with her,” the actor said.
Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, of HBO Programming and head of HBO & Max Comedy Series, lauded Coel for her ability to “transport the reader like no other”.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the conversation that began with I May Destroy You, alongside our close collaborators at VAL, A24 and the BBC. With Henri as our guide, First Day on Earth is as lyrical as it is visceral in its excavation of the idea of home,” she added.
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, said, “Michaela is one of those exceptional I May Destroy You is one of the reasons I wanted to join the BBC! In First Day on Earth, Michaela has created another unmissable series — truly original, heartfelt, hilarious, poetic storytelling and told in a way that only Michaela can. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”
Coel had created, written and played the main role in I May Destroy You, which received glowing reviews upon its premiere in June 2020. She had won an Emmy award in the outstanding writing for a limited series category for the series. In the HBO show inspired by her own story, Coel starred as Arabella, a young woman who seeks to rebuild her life after she recalls being drugged and raped at a local nightclub.
