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Many celebrities had memorable wins at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards — and actor/ writer Michaela Coel was among those talented stars. Coel won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special for her BBC/HBO series, I May Destroy You. In the 12-episode show, Coel recalls a very personal experience of hers, giving a fictionalized version of the time she was drugged and sexually assaulted by two men.

Though she has been open about that experience and other harrowing events that have happened to her, Coel has kept a tight lip on her dating life. Seeing as she rarely talks about that part of her life, we’re curious: Is the actor currently in a relationship? Here’s everything we know so far.

Michaela Coel posing on the red carpet at the 73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
Michaela Coel | Rich Fury/Getty Images

Michaela Coel values her privacy

Since the June 2020 premiere of her award-winning HBO drama series I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel has shared a lot of her life with the public through her work.

The series explores main character Arabella’s journey of personal identity while also tackling the subject of consent and what happens to someone after they are sexually assaulted.

Arabella’s story is also loosely based on Coel’s own life after she was raped in 2016.

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Over the past few years, Coel has spoken openly about that traumatic time and has stood in solidarity with survivors of sexual assault. But despite being candid about that harrowing incident, not everything the actor has experienced in her life is public knowledge.

Since her rise to fame, Coel has kept much of her personal life out of the spotlight, especially details surrounding her love life.

Though The Guardian mentioned her having a boyfriend during a 2018 interview, Coel declined to talk about him to protect his privacy and her own.

“I used to be really loose with the amount of information I put out on social media because in the beginning I was not a known poet. I have to sell this place out, or I’m not gonna break even – so I soon discovered that my personality is a way to draw people in,” she told the outlet. “As my career has stabilized, I feel like I need to retreat more.”

The actor previously revealed that she identifies as aromantic

Following her interview with The Guardian, it was rumored that Michaela Coel was in a relationship with her Chewing Gum co-star Kadiff Kirwan, according to Bustle. However, it was later confirmed that the two were just friends.

Since then, there has been no word on whether the I May Destroy You writer has hung out with anyone romantically.

Though her dating life has remained private, Coel has been open about her feelings toward love, sharing in a previous interview that she’s pretty indifferent when it comes to romance.

While speaking with Culture Trip in 2018, the Been So Long actor revealed that she identifies as aromantic, explaining that typical expressions of romanticism do nothing for her.

“I googled aromanticism and I very much felt like, ‘Oh, that’s me.’ Which means if you tell me to dress up nicely because we’re going to go to a dinner with candles, it’s not going to mean a lot to me,” she said. “It’s a waste of money and I have ingredients at home. Things like weddings and the expense of these things — I would rather settle for the rest of my life with a person.

“I am OK being by myself. I like having intimate relationships but I don’t want to change people or want to be changed by anyone. Diamond rings don’t make me happy. Flowers don’t make me smile. I can’t smell them,” Coel shared. “I want to know who you are.”

Michaela Coel’s relationship status remains unknown

Over the last few years, Michaela Coel has continued to keep her dating life to herself.

While it’s possible that she’s had her share of relationships or has remained single in the two-and-a-half years since The Guardian interview, it seems that we’ll never know what the actor has been up to.

But seeing as she’s shared a lot of her personal life through her work, we think Coel deserves to live as privately as she wants.

How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support.

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