Michaela Coel makes history with I May Destroy You win

Tons of talented people were nominated for the limited-series writing category at the Emmys this year, but there was one person who was an obvious favorite: Michaela Coel. After seeing the Emmys snub far too many people of color all night long, we feared Coel might not get the award she deserved. But with a huge sigh of relief, Coel was correctly credited with writing one of the most captivating series of 2020. With her Emmy victory, Coel became the first black woman to win the Outstanding Writing Award for a Limited or Anthology Series or Film.

Coel, who seemed stunned by his victory and had to take a few seconds to breathe before heading for the stage, delivered one of the most memorable speeches of the evening. “I just wrote a little something for writers, really,” she began her speech. “Write the story that scares you. It makes you feel uncertain. It is not comfortable. I dare you. In a world that prompts us to walk the lives of others, to help us better determine how we feel about ourselves and to in turn feel the need to be constantly visible, for visibility these days seems to be somewhat sort of synonymous with success. Don’t be afraid to disappear. From there, from us, for a moment, and see what comes to you in the silence. She also said that she devoted I can destroy you to “every survivor of sexual assault”.

It was succinct but said a lot in just a minute; his speech was austere contrast with The Queen’s Gambit director Scott Frank’s speech that apparently lasted forever. Coel given a hell of a speech as the first Emmy winner and like someone who wrote a TV series based on their own experience as a rape survivor. His words are a reminder that writers must take risks and know their worth. Coel was offered a million dollar contract with Netflix, which should include I can destroy you. But the multi-hyphen The Emmy winner declined after realizing she was not licensed to own the copyright. In a recent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Wife’s Hour, she told host Emma Barnett that “there had been an exploitation”.

Coel is the third black writer to win in the Outstanding writing for a limited or anthology series or film Category; David Mills became the first black to win the award in 2000 with The corner and Cord Jefferson won in 2020 for Watchmen. Coel also made Emmy history as the first black woman to be nominated for Best Series, Performance, Writing, and Directing.