“Chewing Gum” creator and star Michaela Coel is showing off her dramatic chops in a new teaser for “Black Earth Rising.” The eight-part BBC Two series sees the BAFTA winner playing Kate, a Britain-based law investigator who was rescued as a child during the Rwandan genocide.
The footage suggests that Kate will confront that history when her adoptive mother (Harriet Walter, “The Crown”), a world-class prosecutor, takes on a case at the International Criminal Court prosecuting an African militia leader.
“You have a British passport. You’re my daughter,” Kate’s mother insists. But as Kate herself explains, “Once you’ve been touched by evil, it never lets go.”
Set across the UK, Europe, Africa and the U.S., “Black Earth Rising” follows Kate as she confronts her past and more timely problems — she’s told she’s currently in danger from everyone and can’t trust anyone.
BBC Two will air the series in the UK, and Netflix holds global rights. No word on a premiere date.
Besides “Chewing Gum,” Coel’s acting credits include “Black Mirror,” “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” and “The Aliens.” She’ll reprise her role as Tracey in Season 3 of “Chewing Gum,” though a premiere date hasn’t been announced yet.
