Romeo & Juliet' cast sport red pins for Gaza

Broadway actors join Artists4Ceasefire cause

The opening night for the new Broadway cast of Romeo & Juliet saw a glamorous debut with all the stars decked in classy attire. The production, which is led by Kit Connor as Romeo and Rachel Zegler as Juliet, marked its official run on October 24, as per People.

However, fashion wasn't the only category that made statements at the event. A significant number of cast members attended with an Artists4Ceasefire badge pinned to their clothing. Aside from the mentioned leads, others wearing the red pin included Jasai Chase-Owens, Daniel Bravo Hernández, and Nihar Duvvuri.

The symbol stands as a sign of protest, urging the president of the US to call for the cessation of the rampant genocide in Gaza. The pin has served as a gesture of goodwill, with wearers hoping for peace in the affected territories.

Other celebrities who have sported both the pin and the sentiment include Mark Ruffalo, who recently cited humanitarian laws to denounce the military aid provided to Israel by the US, and Nicola Coughlan, who backed former Irish president Mary Robinson's "truth to power" letter.

Furthermore, the leads of Romeo & Juliet have been forthright about their political views regarding other matters in the past. Other than calling attention to the "free Palestine" slogan on social media, Rachel stood up against the harsh racism directed towards fellow Juliet actor Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.

In an interview with Teen Vogue, the West Side Story actor highlighted the importance of "the people around" taking responsibility for the cast's safety when hiring people of colour for traditionally Caucasian roles. "You can't act stupid, you know how the general public is going to act because they've been acting that way for years," she stressed.

The classic Shakespeare tale tells the story of two lovers marred by circumstances. For the unversed, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet belong to two rival families but find themselves in love when they cross paths. Navigating a risky terrain, the young lovers vow to stay true to each other even as kin threatens to force them apart.