Francesca Amewudah-Rivers
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{{Short description|British actress}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Francesca Amewudah-Rivers
| image =
| caption = Amewudah-Rivers in 2024
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1998 (age 26){{cite news |title=The week in classical: Teyber Trio; Quartet for the End of Time; King's Singers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/26/teyber-trio-goldberg-variations-st-martin-in-the-fields-review-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-spotlight-chamber-concerts-st-johns-waterloo-kings-singers-wigmore-hall-livestream |access-date=18 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=26 November 2022 |archive-date=26 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526094809/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/26/teyber-trio-goldberg-variations-st-martin-in-the-fields-review-quartet-for-the-end-of-time-spotlight-chamber-concerts-st-johns-waterloo-kings-singers-wigmore-hall-livestream |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Actors unite to decry 'deplorable' racist abuse of Romeo and Juliet star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/04/10/tom-holland-romeo-and-juliet-francesca-amewudah-rivers/ |access-date=18 May 2024 |work=PinkNews |date=10 April 2024 |quote=Actors have condemned the ongoing racist abuse of 26-year-old Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, who is soon to star alongside Tom Holland in a London production of Romeo and Juliet, in an open letter. |archive-date=18 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518211453/https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/04/10/tom-holland-romeo-and-juliet-francesca-amewudah-rivers/ |url-status=live }}
| birth_place = Brighton, England
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|musician|composer}}
| education = Oxford University
| television =
| other_names =
| years_active = 2021–present
| father =
| relatives =
}}
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers is a British television and stage actress, musician and composer. She made her West End debut opposite Tom Holland in 2024 as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/francesca-amewudah-rivers|title=Francesca Amewudah-Rivers - Stars on Stage - London Theatre|website=LondonTheatre.co.uk|accessdate=18 May 2024|archive-date=18 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518205012/https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/francesca-amewudah-rivers|url-status=live}} She won the Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Newcomer in 2025.
Early life
Amewudah-Rivers was born in Brighton to a Ghanaian father and Nigerian mother.{{Cite web|url=https://gal-dem.com/oxfords-students-are-diversifying-their-theatre-scene/|title=Oxford's students are diversifying their theatre scene – gal-dem|website=gal-dem.com|access-date=2024-04-14|archive-date=2023-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922102916/https://gal-dem.com/oxfords-students-are-diversifying-their-theatre-scene/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/future-theatre-fund/meet-the-12-recipients-of-the-future-theatre-fund-b922010.html|website=Evening Standard|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Meet the 12 recipients of the Future Theatre Fund|date=4 March 2021|first=Eleanor|last=Shakespeare|archive-date=22 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022163243/https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/future-theatre-fund/meet-the-12-recipients-of-the-future-theatre-fund-b922010.html|url-status=live}} She trained at the National Youth Theatre{{cite web|url=https://www.nyt.org.uk/news/new-news-article-77/|website=nyt.org|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Awards & Nominations for NYT REP Company and Alumni|date=15 July 2023|archive-date=2 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202212330/https://www.nyt.org.uk/news/new-news-article-77/|url-status=live}} and studied Music at Oxford University.{{cite web|url= https://www.torch.ox.ac.uk/people/francesca-amewudah-rivers|website= Torch.ox.ac.uk|accessdate= 11 April 2024|title= Francesca Amewudah-Rivers|archive-date= 9 April 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240409083632/https://www.torch.ox.ac.uk/people/francesca-amewudah-rivers|url-status= live}}
Career
She appeared in two seasons of the BBC sitcom Bad Education as Blessing, alongside Jack Whitehall.{{cite web|first=Nadia|last=Khomami|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/10/too-much-to-bear-black-actors-condemn-racial-abuse-of-romeo-juliet-star|website=The Guardian|accessdate=11 April 2024|date=10 April 2024|title='Too much to bear': Black actors condemn racial abuse of Romeo & Juliet star|archive-date=11 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411033923/https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/10/too-much-to-bear-black-actors-condemn-racial-abuse-of-romeo-juliet-star|url-status=live}} She also composed the music for the short films Medea, Minutes and Messenger.{{cite web|website=Hollywood Life|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Francesca Amewudah-Rivers: 5 Things About the Actress Starring in Tom Holland's 'Romeo & Juliet'|first=Elisabeth|last=McGowan|date=April 8, 2024|url=https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/who-is-francesca-amewudah-rivers-5267281/|archive-date=9 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409162622/https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/who-is-francesca-amewudah-rivers-5267281/|url-status=live}} She was awarded the 2021 Evening Standard Future Theatre Award for Audio Design. She was a music intern on Inua Ellams’ adaptation of Chekhov's play Three Sisters for the Royal National Theatre.
On stage, she has appeared in theatre productions of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Othello at the National Youth Theatre,{{cite web|access-date=11 April 2024|url=https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-othello-national-youth-theatre-bolsover-castle?format=amp|website=Westbestfriend|title=Review: OTHELLO, National Youth Theatre (Bolsover Castle)|first=Amy|last=Louise|date=June 28, 2021|archive-date=26 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526094809/https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-othello-national-youth-theatre-bolsover-castle?format=amp|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Rolling Stone|accessdate=11 April 2024|title='Romeo & Juliet' Star Receives Support From Over 800 Black Actors Decrying 'Racist and Misogynistic Abuse'|first=Althea|last=Legaspi|date=10 April 2024|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/francesca-amewudah-rivers-romeo-and-juliet-online-racial-abuse-open-letter-1235001834/|archive-date=11 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411010944/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/francesca-amewudah-rivers-romeo-and-juliet-online-racial-abuse-open-letter-1235001834/|url-status=live}} as well an adaptation of Sophocles' Greek tragedy Antigone at the Mercury Theatre,{{cite web|url=https://www.theartsdispatch.com/interview-francesca-amewudah-rivers-i-have-a-lot-of-theatre-trips-planned/|website=The Arts Dispatch|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Interview: Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, "I have a lot of theatre trips planned!"|date=8 October 2021|archive-date=26 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240526094809/https://www.theartsdispatch.com/interview-francesca-amewudah-rivers-i-have-a-lot-of-theatre-trips-planned/|url-status=live}} for which The Guardian positively reviewed her "sensitively delivered" performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/oct/08/antigone-review-mercury-theatre-colchester|website=The Guardian|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Antigone review – gender switch sparks striking take on Sophocles|first=Chris|last=Wiegand|date=8 October 2021|archive-date=29 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129040526/https://amp.theguardian.com/stage/2021/oct/08/antigone-review-mercury-theatre-colchester|url-status=live}}
In 2024, she was cast in her first West End production as Juliet alongside Tom Holland in Romeo and Juliet at the Duke of York's Theatre.{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/culture/story/tom-holland-francesca-amewudah-rivers-star-west-end/?id=108621124|website=ABC News|accessdate=11 April 2024|title=Tom Holland, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and more to star in West End production of 'Romeo & Juliet'|first=Angeline Jane|last=Bernabe|date=28 March 2024|archive-date=4 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240404134127/https://abcnews.go.com/amp/GMA/Culture/tom-holland-francesca-amewudah-rivers-star-west-end/story?id=108621124|url-status=live}} Her casting caused a backlash, described by the play's director Jamie Lloyd as "racial abuse."{{cite news|title='Romeo & Juliet' Play Starring Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Faces 'Barrage of Racial Abuse,' Producer Says 'This Must Stop'|url=https://variety.com/2024/theater/global/tom-holland-romeo-juliet-racial-abuse-francesca-amewudah-rivers-1235961672/|access-date=18 May 2024|work=Variety|date=5 April 2024|archive-date=18 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518215104/https://variety.com/2024/theater/global/tom-holland-romeo-juliet-racial-abuse-francesca-amewudah-rivers-1235961672/|url-status=live}} Over 800 black actors signed an open letter in solidarity with her.{{cite news|title='Romeo & Juliet' Star Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Backed by Over 800 Black Actors in Open Letter Condemning 'Racist and Misogynistic Abuse'|url=https://variety.com/2024/global/global/romeo-juliet-francesca-amewudah-rivers-black-actors-racial-abuse-1235965972/|access-date=18 May 2024|work=Variety|date=10 April 2024|archive-date=10 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240410232644/https://variety.com/2024/global/global/romeo-juliet-francesca-amewudah-rivers-black-actors-racial-abuse-1235965972/|url-status=live}} In March 2025, she won The Jack Tinker Award for Best Newcomer at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards.{{cite web|url= https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/winners-announced-for-critics-circle-theatre-awards_1669113/|website=Whats on Stage|accessdate=28 March 2025|title= Winners announced for Critics' Circle Theatre Awards|date=27 March 2025}}
Personal life
Amewudah-Rivers is a classical and jazz pianist who also plays guitar, bassoon and djembe drum. While studying music at Oxford, she struggled with feeling alienated for being the only black person in her college year group. She resides in Brixton.{{Cite web|url=https://thebritishblacklist.co.uk/francesca-amewudah-rivers-talks-school-girls-or-the-african-mean-girls-play/|title=Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Talks … School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play|website=thebritishblacklist.co.uk|date=28 June 2023|accessdate=18 May 2024|archive-date=18 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518233827/https://thebritishblacklist.co.uk/francesca-amewudah-rivers-talks-school-girls-or-the-african-mean-girls-play/|url-status=live}}
References
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External links
- {{IMDb name|13516100}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Amewudah-Rivers, Francesca}}
Category:Actresses from Brighton
Category:English television actresses
Category:English people of Ghanaian descent
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:National Youth Theatre members
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford
Category:21st-century English actresses
Category:Black British actresses