Westworld‘s Thandiwe Newton has joined the cast of First Day on Earth, created by and starring Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You). HBO announced the addition of four actors to the drama, including Emmy winner Newton as Anya, Maxine Peake (I Swear, Say Nothing) as Helen, Danny Sapani (Halo) as Ernest, and Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) as Darren.
Production is currently taking place on the 10-episode first season.
HBO offers this description of Coel’s new series: “British-Ghanaian novelist Henri (Coel) 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.”
Coel serves as a writer, executive producer, and director. Jesse Armstrong, Phil Clarke, Roberto Troni, and Jo McClellan are executive producers, along with Sam Miller, who is also directing. Johann Knobel is on board as a producer. The series is a Various Artists Limited production, co-produced by HBO and the BBC in association with A24.
This post was last modified on April 1, 2026 12:05 pm