‘Bridgerton’ actress Nicola Coughlan raises $1.9m for Gaza aid

Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, widely recognised for her portrayal of Penelope Featherington in the popular Netflix series "Bridgerton", has successfully raised more than £1.5 million (USD 1.9 million) to support aid initiatives in Gaza over the last seven months.

A recent Instagram post by Nicola, encouraging her followers to contribute to a fundraiser by the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, garnered significant attention when American singer Ariana Grande shared it. This campaign raised USD 1.7 million, supplementing the USD 32,646 already collected by the organisation.

Since November, Nicola Coughlan has leveraged her Instagram platform to rally support for five different fundraisers benefiting humanitarian organisations active in the Gaza Strip. This includes two campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestine, which collectively raised USD 99,451, and one for ActionAid UK, which brought in USD 17,211.

In May, while promoting the latest season of "Bridgerton" in an interview with USA Today, Nicola Coughlan sported an "Artists for Ceasefire" pin.

When asked about her decision to wear the pin, Nicola explained, "It's crucial for me because I recognise my privilege. I'm living my dream career and travelling globally, but I'm also acutely aware of the current situation in Rafah."

Nicola shared that her family resided in Jerusalem during the late 1970s while her father served in the Irish Army as part of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), which aimed to facilitate peace efforts in the Middle East.

"I feel very strongly about this," she remarked. "Being Irish gives me a unique perspective. With my global platform, I believe it's important to support aid organisations. Currently, I have a fundraiser for Medical Aid for Palestine on my Instagram, and I encourage people to donate or share it. It would be greatly appreciated."

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Nicola Coughlan, also known for her role as Claire Devlin in the British TV series "Derry Girls", has consistently worn the "Artists for Ceasefire" pin at numerous public events. This includes the official premiere of the new "Bridgerton" season and various promotional appearances on American TV shows like "Late Night with Seth Meyers" and "Good Morning America".