'I May Destroy You': Meet Michaela Coel's Arabella and rest of the cast of HBO's drama on consent
Michaela Coel’s bold and authentic new series 'I May Destroy You' is all set to make its HBO debut. Originally titled 'January 22', the show follows Arabella, a rising writer who faces obscure memories of a sexual assault at her publisher's office in London. Thus begins Arabella's struggle as trying to piece together what happened while also coping with the trauma of being a rape survivor. Deemed as both funny and vividly realistic at the same time, the show presents to us a wide range of characters as Arabella's friends - each of whom are navigating their own personal niche in the capital city's dating scene. A modern-day take on all the different forms of consent, here's who you can expect to see in the drama.
Michaela Coel as Arabella
As a writer whose shot to fame was online and by touching hearts of countless millennials Arabella's life begins to swirl into a mess when she returns from a book tour with barely any writing done. To meet a strict deadline, she spends the night at her publisher's London office, followed by a night out with her friends where she indulges in heavy drinking. The next day, it's total blackout for Arabella, except blurry images of a man towering over her at a bathroom stall.
Coel, writer and star of the show, plays the protagonist who tries retracing her memories from the sexual assault. Her hit E4 comedy series 'Chewing Gum' saw her as Tracey Gordon and she is also equally well known for her work in the BBC Rwandan genocide drama Black Earth Rising. She has also starred in 'Black Mirror', and the Netflix film 'Been So Long' along with a cameo in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.'
Weruche Opia as Terry
Arabella’s best friend is a struggling actress whose life revolves around rehearsing lines for a Dove commercial. Opia is most popularly known for playing Cleo in 'Bad Education' and Nafisa in 'Top Boy'. Her other works include 'Suspects', 'Sliced', and 'Inside No. 9'.
Paapa Essiedu as Kwame
Busy engaging in the London dating scene, the otherwise insecure Kwame is gay and also a professional dancer-turned-fitness class teacher. Essiedu was most popularly known for his stage works as Hamlet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2016 production, and also in their King Lear production from the same year. He has been more famous recently as Alex Dumani on 'Gangs of London' and for his work alongside Coel in 'Black Earth Rising'. His other credits include 'Kiri', 'The Miniaturist', 'Press', and 'Murder on the Orient Express'.
Marouane Zotti plays Biagio
After a whirlwind holiday romance, this drug dealer is the one person Arabella forms somewhat of an attachment to. Zotti, is known for his works in 'Imagine You & Me', 'Requiem Espresso', and 'The Red Door'.
Harriet Webb as Theodora
The working-class woman, who also knew Arabella back in school, runs a rape survivors’ group that our heroine attends. Webb is known for her role of Ali in 'The Split', and as Alison in the dramedy 'Pure'. She has also starred as Sunbed Tina in 'Edge of Heaven', and in 'White Gold', 'The Windsors', and 'Defending the Guilty'.
Ann Akin as Alissa
Alissa was with Arabella the night she has a blackout, later, she also spills that Arabella's drink was spiked the same night. Akin's recurring role as DS Ekwensi in 'Strike' is her most prominent credit, alongside Dr Simpson in Phillip K Dick’s 'Electric Dreams', and more recently, Dee in 'Trigonometry'. Her other credits include 'Cold Feet', 'Law & Order', and 'Unforgotten'.
Sarah Niles as Officer Funmi
After Arabella reports her sexual assault, Officer Funmi is the one who speaks to her and handles the case. Niles is familiar from her days as Melissa in the comedy 'Catastrophe', and as Meg in the latest 'Dracula' mini-series. She’s also known for 'Trust Me', 'Death in Paradise', 'Moving On', and 'Holby City'.
'I May Destroy You' premieres on June 7, with weekly episodes to roll out on Sundays, at 10:30 pm only on HBO. In the UK, it begins on Monday, June 8, at 10.40 pm only on BBC One.