First Day on Earth: Michaela Coel's HBO Series Begins Filming
February 13, 2026
Initially announced in August 2024, "First Day on Earth" has begun filming.
In a February 12, 2026, press release, HBO confirmed that filming is underway on the 10-episode drama created by and starring Michaela Coel, co-produced with the BBC in association with A24.
The release also announced new cast members: Thandiwe Newton, Maxine Peake, Danny Sapani, and Ncuti Gatwa.
The series follows British-Ghanaian novelist Henri (Coel), who is "on the run from herself, her life, her partner, and that weird guy at her book talk. When she ends up in Ghana, her ancestral homeland, she finds herself submerged in an altogether different world. Amidst new friends, fresh joy, and many different and nuanced relationships, Henri also finds secrets, lies, difficulty, and denial, leading her to question everything about herself, her heritage, and her family."
No release date has been announced at this time.