Michaela Coel is a force to be reckoned with. The 33-year-old has shaken up the entertainment industry as showrunner of the genre-twisting, acutely unsettling series I May Destroy You. But provocative as she is, the British star isn’t interested in shock tactics or strong-arming anyone into picking a side, nor is she soap-boxing. Michaela is simply doing things the way she wants to do them: with determination and empathy.
‘I spent a lot of my life pleading, hoping for empathy,’ she says. ‘It feels only fitting for me to try to do the same thing. I think it crosses very stubborn wirings in our brain.’
This impulse is at the heart of I May Destroy You, in which Michaela plays Arabella, a young writer who is sexually violated after her drink is spiked, and walks a bewildering path back from trauma to wholeness. The series is based on Michaela’s own experience of sexual assault and its shattering effects, and at times it makes for discomforting TV.
‘I’m not saying anything is wrong or right,’ she told Trevor Noah on The Daily Show. ‘I’m just putting characters in a frame and watching them interact. I want us to see how uncomfortable it is. It’s not so easy to place yourself in a camp – it’s really hard when you can see where both sides are coming from.’
Denne historien er fra May/June 2021-utgaven av Fairlady.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May/June 2021-utgaven av Fairlady.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'DESIRE IS NOT WHAT MATTERS'
Emily Nagoski wrote the book on women and desire - literally. And then her own sex life dried up. Here's what a prolonged sex drought (and a load of research) taught her about maintaining intimacy in a long-term relationship.
'We have to tell HARD STORIES'
Theatre director and playwright Yaël Farber is spending time in South Africa after her critically acclaimed run of King Lear at the Almeida Theatre in London. We chatted to her about the importance of the pursuit of truth.
THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe
We really got into it this month! Read on for more on the allure of a loosey-goosey jumpsuit, vintage-hunting and jingle-jangling jewellery, the best places to find quality African design and short-girl styling tips.
LIFT your GAME
Thought weightlifting was just for bodybuilders and powerlifters? Not so. In fact, 'lifting heavy shit' may be the secret to longevity, hormone regulation and mood for women through perimenopause and beyond.
TREATMENT PLAN ON YOUR MARKS
Armed with a six-month programme from Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates, Jennifer Morin set about tackling her sun damage and melasma.
PLAYING YOUR CARDS RIGHT
Here's how to get the most out of loyalty cards.
BIG SKY Country
Namibia. Twelve friends, five vehicles, 4000 km, thirteen days. Eight punctures, one angle grinder. One martial eagle, one full moon, one ghost town. Plenty of top-quality braais, maybe not quite enough oysters... and the best time ever.
IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?
Leaks, damp and poor ventilation in old or poorly built new homes are being fingered for a growing health concern: mould.
HOW TO REALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEONE
The Korean word 'nunchi' describes 'the ability to be sensitive to other people's moods and thoughts'. It's an underrated skill that we seem to have lost.
How to write a memoir
Whether you want to share your experiences and insights with the world, leave a legacy or track pivotal experiences for yourself, writing your memoir can be a grand and worthwhile adventure. Here's some advice on how and where to begin.
