
Michaela Coel, the creator, writer, and star of the acclaimed HBO series I May Destroy You made history this Sunday at the 73rd Annual Emmy Awards. Coel won her first Emmy for best writing in a limited series or anthology and she is the first-ever black woman to win this writing award at the Emmys. Also up for the award were Mare of Eastown, The Queen’s Gambit, and three episodes of WandaVision.
I May Destroy You premiered on HBO during the summer of 2020. The show follows Arabella, a young writer struggling with the aftermath of a sexual assault and is inspired by Coel’s own experiences. Her acceptance speech was brief yet powerful: “Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that isn’t comfortable. I dare you.” She ended her speech by dedicating I May Destroy You to “every single survivor of sexual assault.”
The writer-director-actress was also nominated in the best directing and acting categories for limited series but only won the writing category. I May Destroy You is currently streaming on HBO Max.