celeb news ‘Romeo & Juliet’ Francesca Amewudah-Rivers backed by over 800 Black actors after hate

[Gwendolyn]

 

Over 800 Black women and non-binary actors have signed an open letter condemning the online racial abuse of Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who was recently cast as Juliet in a London West End production of "Romeo & Juliet" alongside Tom Holland.

 

The letter, published in The Guardian on Wednesday, was the initiative of "Enola Holmes" actor Susan Wokoma and "Crowning Glory" playwright Somalia Nonyé Seaton. It reads, "When news of Francesca Amewudah-Rivers' casting in Jamie Lloyd's production of 'Romeo & Juliet' was announced so many people celebrated and welcomed this news. Many of us took to social media to shower our baby sis with love and congratulations – a huge deal for someone so young in their career. A huge rising talent.

 

"But then what followed was a too familiar horror that many of us visible Black dark skinned performers have experienced. The racist and misogynistic abuse directed at such a sweet soul has been too much to bear. For a casting announcement of a play to ignite such twisted ugly abuse is truly embarrassing for those so empty and barren in their own lives that they must meddle in hateful abuse.”

Among the 883 signatories are Lashana Lynch (“No Time to Die”), Sheila Atim (“The Woman King”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Secrets & Lies”), Lolly Adefope (“Ghosts”), Freema Agyeman (“Doctor Who”), Wunmi Mosaku (“His House”) and Tamara Lawrance (“The Silent Twins”).

 

https://variety.com/2024/global/global/romeo-juliet-francesca-amewudah-rivers-black-actors-racial-abuse-1235965972/

 

 

[Johnny Jacobs]

People should really stfu with their opinions on casting. No one cares chile. 

 

Congrats Francesca 

[Hector]

As always,  there's a disgusting and racist part of social media that proves why it's the toilet of the internet. They did this with POC actors in the new Little Mermaid, Star Wars,  Star Trek, and Lord Of The Rings releases too.

[Bussea]

I read this as "hacked" at first and I was like um??? but good  It's 2024 the fact that we even have these conversations over FICTIONAL characters is ******* insane 

[Tudors]

She's so pretty 😍

[Funhouse]

All this 'outrage' over something that has been extremely common for Shakespeare plays since at least the 1960s... these people don't know **** about Shakespeare or live theatre 

[Apolonio ₃₄]

Did Tom defend her? 

[tost1]

Why just women and non binary people?

[Katamari]

14 minutes ago, Rogue said:

Did Tom defend her? 

he made a statement condemning the hate and more 

[GraceRandolph]

It feels like Hollywood is out to get black women specifically with a lot of these racebent characters. The Little Mermaid, Percy Jackson, Romeo and Juliet, Peter Pan and Wendy, Cursed Child and other examples that escape me. If they cast a young black girl to play Hermione in the upcoming HBOMax Harry Potter show they are basically setting her up for a barrage of hate. I don't understand when this became so controversial, but it's definitely becoming a theme with every black female racebent character. They need to do more to protect these actors because at some point it wouldn't feel worth it to me to get all this online abuse just because I took a role.

[Funhouse]

4 minutes ago, GraceRandolph said:

It feels like Hollywood is out to get black women specifically with a lot of these racebent characters. The Little Mermaid, Percy Jackson, Romeo and Juliet, Peter Pan and Wendy, Cursed Child and other examples that escape me. If they cast a young black girl to play Hermione in the upcoming HBOMax Harry Potter show they are basically setting her up for a barrage of hate. I don't understand when this became so controversial, but it's definitely becoming a theme with every black female racebent character. They need to do more to protect these actors because at some point it wouldn't feel worth it to me to get all this online abuse just because I took a role.

But this isn't Hollywood and there normally isn't any controversy when Black actors play lead roles in Shakespeare productions on stage. There have been several other productions of Romeo and Juliet with Black leads in the last few years, including one in London less than a year ago, and there wasn't any outrage about any of them. I agree that the production companies should do more to protect the actors when racist backlash occurs, but I genuinely don't think the producers of this particular play could have seen the outrage coming because it just doesn't happen in the theatre industry usually.

[Archetype]

This isn't supposed to be a "historically accurate" rendition of anything, it'd be like people getting outraged because neither actors are Italian.  Something as done to death as Romeo and Juliet should be open to new interpretations, that's how art evolves and stays relevant.

 

9 minutes ago, GraceRandolph said:

The Little Mermaid

Disney saw this one coming tho.  Halle was the best choice, 10/10 performance, but they knew most people wanted a carbon copy of cartoon Ariel.  They should have done more to defend her.  

[spiritboy]

Disgusting people. Even hell is too good for those racists trash people.

[GraceRandolph]

30 minutes ago, Funhouse said:

But this isn't Hollywood and there normally isn't any controversy when Black actors play lead roles in Shakespeare productions on stage. There have been several other productions of Romeo and Juliet with Black leads in the last few years, including one in London less than a year ago, and there wasn't any outrage about any of them. I agree that the production companies should do more to protect the actors when racist backlash occurs, but I genuinely don't think the producers of this particular play could have seen the outrage coming because it just doesn't happen in the theatre industry usually.

This production stars Tom Holland.

[ericcartman]

People are so disgusting 

[Polgg48]

flop written all over the project, the spidey curse continues and not seem this would generate good reception in her portfolio.