MICHAELA COEL
OkayAfrica's 100 Women celebrates African women who are making waves, shattering ceilings, and uplifting their communities.
Michaela Coel, 26, is the Ghanaian-British comedian cracking people up with her quirky Netflix series, Chewing Gum. The actress won the 2016 BAFTA for best "Female Performance in a Comedy Programme." The popular Netflix series is based on her one-woman show, Chewing Gum Dreams.
For creating groundbreaking content that covers the angst and awkwardness of adolescence, in a council estate, Cole is proof that comedic material can be found in places people dismiss as dismal. She does a great job of showing the nuances of growing up as an immigrant in a less privileged community, and her work is changing how people see young Brits of color in media.
Coel won a scholarship to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and despite being one of the few black students to attend, she excelled and is positioned for global success in TV and film. Scores of fans await Chewing Gum's return to Netflix in April 2017, which will no doubt have the candor, punch lines and memorable characters viewers love to watch.
-JO