Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1988-10-01
- Born Place: Tower Hamlets, London, England, UK
Also Known As:
Michaela Ewuraba Collinson, Michaela Boakye-Collinson, Michaela-Moses Boakye-Collinson, Michaela Ewuraba Boakye-Collinson, Михаэла Коэл
Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel, born Michaela Ewuraba Boakye-Collinson on October 1, 1987, in London, England, is a highly acclaimed British actress, screenwriter, director, and producer. Raised in Tower Hamlets by her Ghanaian immigrant mother, Coel grew up on a council estate in Aldgate. She initially pursued poetry and performance art, releasing an album titled "Fixing Barbie" in 2009. After studying English at university, she enrolled at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2012.Coel first gained significant recognition for her debut series, "Chewing Gum" (2015-2017), which she created, wrote, and starred in, based on her play "Chewing Gum Dreams." For her work on "Chewing Gum," she won a BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme and a BAFTA Television Craft Award for Breakthrough Talent. Her critically acclaimed series "I May Destroy You" (2020), which she also created, wrote, co-directed, and starred in, explored themes of consent and trauma with unflinching honesty. This groundbreaking work earned her numerous accolades, including multiple BAFTAs and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, making her the first Black woman to win in that category. In addition to her television work, Coel has appeared in films such as "Been So Long" (2018) and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" (2022), and in television series like "Black Earth Rising" (2018), "Black Mirror" (2016-2017), and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" (2024), for which she won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She is also the author of the book "Misfits: A Personal Manifesto" (2021).
