Michaela Coel admits she no longer looks at what trolls think of her

Michaela Coel has revealed she no longer looks at what trolls think of her or her looks as some comments ‘hurt [her] quite a lot’ in the past.

The I May Destroy You star, 32, spoke in WSJ. Magazine‘s November Innovator issue about her past experience with what people said about her appearance online, as well as discussing her awe-inspiring show about consent.

Gracing the cover of the publication’s newest issue, with pictures revealed on Friday, she said she stopped looking for other people’s opinions of her because ‘life is tricky enough’ being a woman.

‘When I looked for people’s opinions, some of it hurt quite a lot’: Michaela Coel admitted in an interview on Friday she no longer looks at what trolls think of her as ‘life is tricky enough’

Looking back at her hit 2015 sitcom Chewing Gum, Michaela said: ‘[That] was probably the time when I looked for people’s opinions, and some of it hurt quite a lot. I don’t look anymore, because it doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do. 

‘Life is tricky enough navigating being a woman, being a Black woman, being a dark-skinned woman in England on television. It’s so hard.’

Michaela’s recent series, I May Destroy You, became one of the summer’s most critically-acclaimed shows around the world. 

Honest: Gracing the cover of WSJ. Magazine's November Innovator issue, she said: 'Chewing Gum was probably the time when I looked for people’s opinions, and some of it hurt quite a lot'

Honest: Gracing the cover of WSJ. Magazine’s November Innovator issue, she said: ‘Chewing Gum was probably the time when I looked for people’s opinions, and some of it hurt quite a lot’

Struggle: 'Life is tricky enough navigating being a woman, being a Black woman, being a dark-skinned woman in England on television. It’s so hard,' the writer and actress said

Struggle: ‘Life is tricky enough navigating being a woman, being a Black woman, being a dark-skinned woman in England on television. It’s so hard,’ the writer and actress said

Rising star: Michaela's recent series, I May Destroy You, became one of the summer's most critically-acclaimed shows around the world thanks to its hard-hitting storyline on assault

Rising star: Michaela’s recent series, I May Destroy You, became one of the summer’s most critically-acclaimed shows around the world thanks to its hard-hitting storyline on assault

The 12-part BBC1 series, which also premiered on HBO, fearlessly dives into hard-hitting issues affecting the lives of young London-based writer Arabella (Michaela Coel) and her close group of friends.   

It follows Arabella as she comes to terms with a sexual assault after her drink was spiked at a nightclub, in a storyline based on the harrowing real-life experience of Michaela, who also wrote, co-directed and executive produced the series.  

Discussing how she found humour in the pain of her own experience with assault, Michaela said: ‘There’s a strange line, isn’t there? And I don’t know where that line is.

‘And I’m not looking for it. I think it’s just the mode that I write in. I’m sure there could have been a version of this series where it was so distasteful to…survivors of sexual assault.

Innovative: The show (pictured) follows Arabella as she comes to terms with a sexual assault after her drink was spiked at a nightclub, a storyline based on Michaela's own experiences

Innovative: The show (pictured) follows Arabella as she comes to terms with a sexual assault after her drink was spiked at a nightclub, a storyline based on Michaela’s own experiences

Writing process: Discussing how she found humour in the pain of her own experience with assault, Michaela said: 'There’s a strange line, isn’t there? And I don’t know where that line is'

Writing process: Discussing how she found humour in the pain of her own experience with assault, Michaela said: ‘There’s a strange line, isn’t there? And I don’t know where that line is’

‘But I wonder whether just having the personal experience of it means that you have a level of empathy but also a level of—I’m not here to just sit in an echo chamber listening to violin strings about my pain, because I need to move. I can’t just sit here.’

Michaela was named Television Innovator of the year by WSJ. Magazine, and was given the accolade by fellow winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge on Wednesday.

As part of the publications 10th year of celebrating the Innovator Awards, eight honourees were given prizes at the event with each person gracing their own cover for the November issue. 

Read the full interview in WSJ. Magazine’s November Issue out on newsstands Saturday, November 21st. 

Looking back: Michaela said of her critically-acclaimed show, 'I’m sure there could have been a version of this series where it was so distasteful to...survivors of sexual assault'

Looking back: Michaela said of her critically-acclaimed show, ‘I’m sure there could have been a version of this series where it was so distasteful to…survivors of sexual assault’

Award-winner: Michaela was named Television Innovator of the year by WSJ. Magazine, and was given the accolade by fellow winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge on Wednesday

Award-winner: Michaela was named Television Innovator of the year by WSJ. Magazine, and was given the accolade by fellow winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge on Wednesday

For more: Read the full interview in WSJ. Magazine’s November Issue out on newsstands Saturday, November 21st

For more: Read the full interview in WSJ. Magazine’s November Issue out on newsstands Saturday, November 21st

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