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'Chewing Gum' & 'Black Earth Rising' Star Michaela Coel : It's Been a Minute It's Tuesday. Michaela Coel first got the idea for her hit British sitcom 'Chewing Gum' while at drama school. Her later work as the creator, writer, and lead actress on the show earned her a BAFTA. She tells Sam about the transparency that comes from shaving her head and once embracing the Pentecostal faith. Tweet feels @NPRItsBeenAMin or email samsanders@npr.org.

It's Been a Minute

It's Been a Minute
NPR

It's Been a Minute

'Chewing Gum' And 'Black Earth Rising' Star Michaela Coel

'Chewing Gum' And 'Black Earth Rising' Star Michaela Coel

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Actress Michaela Coel attends the Women in Film and TV Awards, in London on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Vianney Le Caer/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP hide caption

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Vianney Le Caer/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

Actress Michaela Coel attends the Women in Film and TV Awards, in London on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018.

Vianney Le Caer/Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

Actress and writer Michaela Coel first got the idea for her hit British sitcom Chewing Gum while at drama school. Her later work as the creator, writer, and lead actress on the show earned her a BAFTA. Now, she's making waves in the U.S. for her starring role in the HBO show, I May Destroy You, a show she created that is loosely based on her own experiences with sexual assault.

She tells Sam about the transparency that comes from shaving her head on and off screen and once embracing the Pentecostal faith. She also sings a special song from Chewing Gum to Sam.

This episode was produced and edited for broadcast by Anjuli Sastry and Jinae West.