Michaela Coel is making television again, and her fans are grateful. It was announced in mid-August 2024 that she would be working again with the BBC, HBO, and A24 on a follow-up to her series I May Destroy You with a show titled First Day on Earth.
The writer has been busy with other projects—she is also an actor, and recently had roles in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, plus she released her book Misfits: a Personal Manifesto.
Here’s everything we know about Coel’s hotly anticipated show.
What is First Day on Earth about?
Coel will be starring in the series as a British novelist named Henri who is at a transitional period in her life. She takes a job working on a film being produced in her parents’ homeland, Ghana, but it doesn’t go as she expects. The Guardian says the move leads her on “an unexpected journey, dealing with new friendships, family trouble and broken illusions” that might “leave her stronger, but could also break her.”
The show might have a slight comedic bent, as even Coel’s most serious work usually does, but also because Amy Gravitt, HBO’s head of comedy, said the show is “as lyrical as it is visceral in its excavation of the idea of home.”
In a statement on the new series, Coel said: “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.”
Who is cast in Last Day on Earth?
So far, only Coel’s involvement with the project has been announced.
When will Last Day on Earth be released?
Filming of the show begins in 2025, but there is no official release date yet.
This post will be updated.
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Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.