![]() You rarely see shows about Black women going through sexual assault The show tackles institutionalised discrimination, white women fetishising Black men, 'white girl tears' and performative activism by brands who claim to care but fail to put that ethos of equality into practice behind the scenes. There are subtle positives, such as featuring artists like Nigeria's Burna Boy on the soundtrack, through to more confronting, direct depictions of systemic racism. Covert and overt references to race and racism run through I May Destroy You's multiple consent storylines. The timeliness of the show is striking, with three Black lead actors (Coel, Opia and Paapa Essiedu) portraying a Black British woman's story, told in her own words. Opia is calmer than the vivacious and extra Terry ('I'm a lot more conservative, Terry is quite YOLO') but is a joker too with a cackling laugh and infectious smile reminiscent of the character. The show was based on Coel's own sexual assault, which happened when she was writing the second season of her award-winning sitcom Chewing Gum. Opia plays Terry, a struggling actor and the longtime best friend of Coel's protagonist Arabella - an influencer turned author whose date-rape leads her and her friends on a journey of education, recovery and self-reflection. it’s worked out to be wildly beneficial for the series.' With the pandemic, and the unfolding of the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd's death, it means everyone’s more attentive, open and aware. 'I think it also has worked in our favour. ![]() 'I’m glad the show hasn’t been cheated by and is getting recognition,' Opia tells ELLE over Zoom. And the enormously positive reception hasn't just happened on this side of the Atlantic - Seth Rogen is a fan too ('I was like "Oh My God!"', exclaims Opia). Michaela Coel's groundbreaking consent drama has been hailed by critics as ' the best drama of the year', ' riveting' and ' essential viewing'. Though her first TV role on The Bill was a decade ago - with subsequent castings in Top Boy and Jack Whitehall's Bad Education - none of it prepared her for the way that I May Destroy You has suddenly dominated popular culture. I May Destroy You airs Wednesdays at 22:00 on 1 Magic.Weruche Opia's life has undergone such a drastic transformation during lockdown, that she has had to dedicate a specific area of her London home to Zoom press interviews. “It’s about making sure there’s a separation between reality and fiction,” he concluded. “I do a lot of self-care in its various forms, from meditation and yoga to having a pint in a pub after a shoot. ![]() In addition to having mental-health professionals on-site at all times, Essiedu said he came up with his own structures to help him let go of everything. However, this doesn’t mean that the act didn’t stay with Essiedu post-shooting. She’ll be showing you an example of a bonobo having sex or a video of cats or dogs having sex and will be like, “In this part of the scene, you’re a bonobo, and then in this part, you’re a horse.” It’s one of those moments where you take a step out of your consciousness and go, “Wow, is this really a job?”Īlso read: 12 Interesting Facts You Didn't Know About I May Destroy You She’s really into using animals as examples. Touching on the actual filming of the assault, Kwame suggested that although intense, it was fun to work with Ita O’Brien – an intimacy coordinator. It’s no wonder that certain structures are not made to support such things.” We’re not used to reading about it in any of the media that we consume. “t’s mad that what we’re seeing in this show doesn’t fit the mainstream portrayal of that situation,” Essiedu told Vulture. What throws Kwame off as well is the manner in which the police deal with his rape case compared to Arabella. “He’s trying to figure out what’s happened to him, and what his response will be, and even trying to put a name to the act,” explained Essiedu. Because in the first four episodes, you see a version of him that’s actually very grounded and centered and assured. “From the moment of what happens to him in episode four, he’s knocked off his center point. Talking to Vulture about the portrayal of this specific experience, Essiedu said that for Kwame the process is happening in real-time. However, the difference between him and Arabella’s experience is whereas the police take Arabella’s case seriously, Kwame experiences an indifferent scepticism. The two meet at an apartment of a third guy who ends up holding down and raping Kwame.Īt first, Kwame is unable to fully process his experience as assault until later. He hooks up with a man he’s met after an exercise class. However, a few episodes into the series, he is faced with his own ordeal. ![]() Kwame, portrayed by Paapa Essiedu, is Arabella’s close friend who supports her as she starts processing her traumatic drugging and subsequent rape.
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