Romeo And Juliet: Tom Holland Starrer Play’s Racial Abuse Controversy Explained

The Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland will portray Romeo, Shakespeare's most famous doomed lover, in a new version of Romeo & Juliet in London's West End. The play is being directed by Jamie Lloyd, who brought his spare, unadorned style to stuffy classics like Cyrano de Bergerac, The Seagull, and A Doll's House. While his casting announcement delighted the actor’s fans, the same courtesy wasn’t given to his co-star, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers. 

Romeo And Juliet's actress faces racial abuse

Tom Holland was announced as the face of the play on February 6. After a month on March 28, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers was introduced as the titular lead actress of Romeo & Juliet along with the rest of the cast. However, it was only Francesca’s casting that caused an uproar among the fans. 

The actress became a victim of racial abuse online and her social media handles were packed with hostile remarks from users saying she was unsuitable for the part. Some even insulted her for her appearance comparing her to a male and asserting that Juliet was a white figure, among other hate. Eventually, the ability to leave a comment on her casting announcement post was eliminated. 

Romeo And Juliet's team defends Francesca Amewudah-Rivers

As things started getting out of hand, Jamie Lloyd Productions, the organization behind the Shakespeare revival, issued a statement on April 7 condemning the racial abuse against Francesca. In a statement, the company condemned the harassment, asserting, “This must stop.” They emphasised the importance of creating a safe environment for artists to work without fear of online harassment. The production team vowed to support and protect all members of the company and stated their commitment to reporting any abuse encountered.

The full statement read, “Following the announcement of our Romeo & Juliet cast, there has been a barrage of deplorable racial abuse online directed towards a member of our company. THIS MUST STOP,” shared the memo. “We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.”

It continued, “We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported. Bullying and harassment have no place, in our industry or in our wider communities. Our rehearsal room is full of joy, compassion and kindness. We celebrate the extraordinary talent of our incredible collaborators.”

In between this, Tom Holland has not publicly addressed the outrage over Francesca’s casting. Despite the unfortunate controversy, the actress brings a wealth of experience to her role, having appeared in BBC series and various stage productions. As per Deadline, the play is scheduled to open on May 11 and run until August 3, showcasing a talented cast alongside Holland and Amewudah-Rivers, including Freema Agyeman, Michael Balogun, and Tomiwa Edun.

(with inputs from Agencies)