A prominent theater company has spoken out against "racial abuse" that has been aimed at a Black actor slated to play a lead role in its upcoming production of "Romeo & Juliet."
Director Jamie Lloyd, who selected Francesca Amewudah-Rivers for the role of Juliet opposite Tom Holland as Romeo, expressed outrage at the social media backlash following the casting announcement.
The Jamie Lloyd Company issued a statement condemning the racial abuse, emphasizing the urgent need for it to cease after revealing the company member had been subjected to racial slurs.
"We are working with a remarkable group of artists," the statement read, according to the Independent. "We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment.
"Bullying and harassment have no place online, in our industry or in our wider communities."
The theater company expressed its commitment to supporting all members of its team and issued a warning that any abuse directed toward its actors would be reported.
"Our rehearsal room is full of joy, compassion and kindness," the statement read. "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."
Amewudah-Rivers is known for her portrayal of Blessing in the Jack Whitehall comedy TV series "Bad Education" and her performance as Gifty in Jocelyn Bioh's play "School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play" at the Lyric Hammersmith theater last year.
Commenting on her casting, Amewudah-Rivers described the experience as a dream.
"I'm so grateful to be making my West End debut as Juliet with The Jamie Lloyd Company. It's a dream to be joining this team of incredible artists with Jamie at the helm," she said.
"I'm excited to bring a fresh energy to this story alongside Tom, and to welcome new audiences to the theater," she added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.