Rachel Zegler Says West End’s ‘Romeo + Juliet’ “Failed” Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Amid Racist Abuse
deadline.comFrom one Juliet to another, Rachel Zegler is speaking up about the tragic treatment of West End star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.
As the Golden Globe winner makes her Broadway debut in the Romeo + Juliet revival, opening Thursday at Circle in the Square Theatre for a 16-week engagement, Zegler called out the racist abuse her predecessor received and the lack of protection she was provided.
After they were connected by her Snow White co-star Dujonna Gift, Zegler noted she texted her support to Amewudah-Rivers. “She responded and vocalized her thanks for people who stood up for her in the time where everybody was tearing her down,” she told Teen Vogue. “I think she was failed by the people around her,” added Zegler. “You need to protect people when you make a vow to cast them in something where you know— you can’t act stupid, you know how the general public is going to act because they’ve been acting that way for years.” As her co-star Kit Connor said, “And even if you are naive enough to think that that won’t happen, then when it does, react.” Zegler added, “Then when it does, you need to f—ing say something.
You need to move quickly and make sure that she is protected. I’ve never seen such heinous things said about a person before than [I did about] her.
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