Michaela Coel Rejects Netflix's $1 Million Dollar Deal

Written By: Kailyn McBride @kxailyn

Chewing Gum actress & creator Michaela Coel in Vogue Magazine

Michaela Coel, best known for her role in Netflix's Chewing Gum TV sitcom, turns down Netflix for a continued role after they refused to allow her to retain any percentage of the show's copyright.

Since the series premiere back in 2015, the British actress has won an award for Best Female Performance in a Comedy Program, appeared in an Emmy-winning episode of Black Mirror, and has fulfilled a role in a Netflix Musical Film as well as a Netflix drama series.

In a new profile published by Vulture, Coel reveals that Netflix made her an offer for her new series but was turned down because she wasn't being offered the benefits that she is rightfully owed.

This new series that Netflix would be withholding tells a story of a young writer struggling to come to terms with a recent assault. A personal feature of Coel's experiences after being sexually assaulted during the creation of the Chewing Gum series.

After stepping away from Netflix, the British actress and producer has pitched her new series to the BBC and has since been offered a dream deal, from "a seat at the table on the production side" to "full creative control and the rights to the work." HBO later joined BBC as a co-producer of the project.

Since the projects debut back in June, Coel's new series is recorded to have some of the best TV reviews of 2020. Since turning down Netflix, Coel has received a grade A review and will possibly see more awards as her twelve-episode series continues to air throughout the summer.