‘Deplorable racial abuse’ aimed at Tom Holland’s co-star in ‘Romeo & Juliet’ London production
Tom Holland’s co-star in the upcoming West End production of “Romeo & Juliet” has triggered online haters — and the show’s producers want it to stop.
The news that Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who is black, will play Juliet opposite Holland’s white Romeo has elicited a barrage of hate-filled messages on social media since it was announced a week ago.
The play is scheduled to open in London next month — and will reportedly head to Broadway after selling out in “in a ticket frenzy,” according to the Mirror.
The show’s producers, the Jamie Lloyd Company, posted a message on Instagram speaking out against the “deplorable racial abuse . . . towards a member of our company” believed to be Amewudah-Rivers, according to Entertainment Weekly.
“This must stop,” said the statement posted on April 5. “We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.”
The company said it would “continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs” — and that any further abuse will be reported to the authorities.
“Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities,” the statement continued. “Our rehearsal room is full of joy, compassion and kindness.
“We celebrate the extraordinary talent of our incredible collaborators. The ‘Romeo & Juliet’ community will continue to rehearse with generosity and love, and focus on the creation of our production.”
In February, it was announced that “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Spider-Man: Far from Home” star Holland, who is dating “Spider-Man” co-star and “Euphoria” lead Zendaya, would headline as Romeo. This marks his return to the stage since starring in “Billy Elliot: The Musical” when he was 12.
Amewudah-Rivers starred in two seasons of the BBC Three sitcom “Bad Education” and has appeared onstage in “School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play” and in “Macbeth” at Shakespeare’s Globe theater. Her role as Juliet will mark her West End debut.
“Romeo & Juliet” will be directed by Jamie Lloyd (“Sunset Boulevard,” “The Effect,” “A Doll’s House”). The cast includes Freema Agyeman (NBC’s “New Amsterdam”), Michael Balogun, Tomiwa Edun and Mia Jerome.
The play will run at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London from May 11 through August, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
