LONDON ACTOR RAISES £1.5 MILLION FOR GAZA AID
Irish actor Nicola Coughlan, famous for her role as Penelope Featherington in “Bridgerton,” has been a driving force behind raising just over £1.5 million ($1.9 million) for aid efforts in Gaza over the last seven months.
After sparking a fundraiser by the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund on Instagram, which was then shared by singer Ariana Grande, a staggering £1.39 million was raised, adding to the £25,525 previously collected by the organization.
Utilizing her Instagram account since November, Coughlan has been rallying her followers to support five fundraisers for humanitarian organizations in Gaza, including two for Medical Aid for Palestine, which raised a total of £77,758, and one for ActionAid UK, which raised £13,457.
In May, she wore an “Artists for Ceasefire” pin during an interview with USA Today as she promoted the latest season of “Bridgerton.”
When asked about the pin, she expressed, “It’s very important for me because I feel like I’m a very privileged person. I’m doing my dream job and I’m getting to travel the world, but then I’m hyper-aware of what’s happening in Rafah at the moment.”
With her family’s history in Jerusalem in mind, where her father served in the Irish Army during the late 1970s as part of the UN’s Truce Supervision Organization, supporting peace efforts in the Middle East, Coughlan emphasized her deep connection to the cause.
Coughlan continues to wear the “Artists for Ceasefire” pin at public events, including the premiere of “Bridgerton” and appearances on US television shows like “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “Good Morning America.”