Michaela Coel names her favourite movies of all time
The Hollywood machine isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment, thanks to the slump in activity following the Covid-19 pandemic, but, then again, neither is any film industry across the world. Indeed, for the British film industry, there are only a few silver linings, with the recent financial success of Christopher Nolan and the artistic innovation of writer, director and actor Michaela Coel being just two examples.
A recent star to rise to industry success, Coel first found success in the early 2010s, taking a minor role in the TV series Top Boy before taking a starring role in the comedy series Chewing Gum, which she wrote and appeared front and centre in. Roles in Black Mirror and even Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi would follow before 2020’s I May Destroy You would rightfully give her widespread acclaim.
A drama that explored sexuality, identity and consent in contemporary London, I May Destroy You earned Coel a Bafta award and a Primetime Emmy and established her as a major burgeoning promise of the screen. Thanks to such a quality and diverse supporting cast, too, which featured the likes of Weruche Opia, Paapa Essiedu and Stephen Wight, the BBC production reached all corners of society.
In a conversation with Far Out, Coel discussed I May Destroy You with respect to some of the best depictions of London on stage and screen and told us some of her favourite movies of all time in the process.
“I’m gonna say Loveless, Bridesmaids, Beanpole,” Coel quickly stated, rattling off three films that demonstrate her passion for a wide variety of creative visions. Continuing, she added: “I need to add colour. I’m going to be very bold right now. Very bold. I’m gonna throw in The Kitchen. You know what else, They Cloned Tyrone, it’s so good, and what confuses me is why it was never on the big screen. Interstellar is another one”.
Whilst the likes of the modern comedy classic Bridesmaids and Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic Interstellar are rather well known, Coel’s diverse list includes some more unknown greats, too. Naming two Russian films, Coel chooses Andrey Zvyagintsev’s 2017 Oscar nominee Loveless, the story of a young boy who goes missing amid his parent’s divorce, and Kantemir Balagov’s Beanpole, a devastating WWII drama.
In addition, she also names two sci-fi gems of 2023 cinema, Juel Taylor’s underappreciated They Cloned Tyrone, and Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares’ feature film The Kitchen, starring Kano. Take a look at the trailer for the Netflix movie They Cloned Tyrone below.
Michaela Coel’s favourite movies:
- Beanpole (Kantemir Balagov, 2019)
- Bridesmaids (Paul Feig, 2011)
- Interstellar (Christopher Nolan, 2014)
- The Kitchen (Daniel Kaluuya, Kibwe Tavares, 2023)
- Loveless (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2017)
- They Cloned Tyrone (Juel Taylor, 2023)
