Nicola Coughlan has spoken about why it's important for her to wear a ceasefire pin while promoting the third season of the Netflix juggernaut, Bridgerton.
The Irish actress has regularly been seen wearing a red pin from Artists4Ceasefire, a collective of artists and advocates who have come together to show support for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
In an interview with USA Today she said of the meaning behind wearing the pin: "It's very important for me because I feel like I’m a very privileged person.
"I’m doing my dream job and getting to travel the world, but then I’m hyper-aware of what’s happening in Rafah at the moment."
Nicola Coughlan explains why she's wearing a ceasefire pin as she promotes "Bridgerton" season 3. #EntertainThis https://t.co/UB0tyyReAM pic.twitter.com/IjGO1Z7yVp
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The 37-year-old Galway-born star continued: "My dad was in the Irish army, which is a peacekeeping force. He was a member of the UN, so my family actually lived in Jerusalem in the late 70s.
"He was part of UNTSO, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, so it was about brokering peace in the Middle East."
She added: "I feel very passionately about it. I'm Irish also, so it’s sort of a different perspective.
"And I just feel, if I have this global platform, which I do at the minute, I think if I can hopefully raise funds for aid organizations - I have a fundraiser on my Instagram right now for medical aid for Palestine.
Coughlan told Teen Vogue in an interview last month that she was warned that she might lose out on acting work if she continued to speak out about Palestine.
"You do get told, 'You won't get work, you won’t do this,‘" she said. "But I also think, deep down, if you know that you’re coming from a place of ‘I don’t want any innocent people to suffer,’ then I’m not worried about people’s reactions."
In a recent Instagram post, Coughlan shared some information about Artists4Ceasefire, saying they have come together in response to "the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Israel and Palestine".
They call for "an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the safe return of all hostages and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza."
