'I May Destroy You': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about HBO's new drama starring Michaela Coel

Michaela Coel's upcoming series questions the fine line that separates sexual consent from being unable to offer one, weighing both liberation and exploitation on the same scale
PUBLISHED MAY 14, 2020
Michaela Coel as Arabella (HBO)
Michaela Coel as Arabella (HBO)

A night of intoxicated blur and suddenly you wake up with cuts and bruises and negligible memories from what might have happened before. Terrifying? Or just a regular day in the neighborhood? Such is the dilemma of the intriguing Arabella on HBO's upcoming drama 'I May Destroy You'.

With HBO redirecting its best among the first to its upcoming streaming platform, HBO Max already has a promising list of contenders for Netflix and Hulu to debut in June. And as claimed by the esteemed network themselves, this "fearless, frank and provocative series explores the question of sexual consent in contemporary life and how, in the new landscape of dating and relationships, we make the distinction between liberation and exploitation". Here's all you need to know about it.

Release date

Dropping with its grand pilot, 'I May Destroy You' premieres on Sunday, June 7.

Series executive producer and writer Michaela Coel stars as the lead Arabella (HBO)

Plot 

The official synopsis by HBO states: "Feted as the 'voice of her generation', Arabella is complex, original and highly talented. But, distracted by the pressures of her first triumph, she is struggling to write her second novel and is in danger of becoming destructive and self-absorbed. After being sexually assaulted in a nightclub, her life changes irreversibly and Arabella is forced to reassess everything: her career, her friends, even her family. As Arabella struggles to come to terms with what has happened, she begins a journey of self-discovery. Often painful, sometimes funny, it leads her to some surprising places  and controversial conclusions.

Creator

The HBO drama is being executive produced and written by Michaela Coel, who is also starring as the lead on the show. The Ghanaian British actress, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, poet and playwright has already won the BAFTA for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme and Breakthrough Talent for 'Chewing Gum' — which is also created and written by her, as well as sees her as the lead. 

Michaela Coel and Weruche Opia (HBO)

Cast

Coel plays the role of the smart and scintillating Arabella whose life turns into a series of turmoil after a night of insane partying ends in more than just blurry memories.

The cast also includes Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu, Aml Ameen, Adam James, Sarah Niles, Ann Akin, Harriet Webb, Ellie James, Franc Ashman, Karan Gill, Natalie Walter and Samson Ajewole.

Trailer

The very fun, very crisp and quite unsettling trailer for 'I May Destroy You' has been out there for a while. Meaning, if you have been tuning into the network, you probably know the haze and trauma Arabella undergoes that we are talking about here. But don't let us spoil it for you. Here, have a look at what you might be diving into.



 

If you like this, you'll love these:

'Euphoria'

'Big Little Lies'

'Unbelievable'

'When They See Us'

'13 Reasons Why'

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