Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan helps raise $1.9m for Gaza

Irish actor Nicola Coughlan, known for her role in the Netflix series Bridgerton, has helped raise $1.9m for Gaza’s aid efforts over the past seven months.

On 24 May, she said that her previous fundraiser had raised around $89,000 for Medical Aid for Palestinians and that she would start raising funds for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF).

The actor made the announcement on Instagram Stories, where she asked people to continue to share the donation link.

"Overwhelmed by the amount my fundraiser has raised so far and very grateful to everyone who has shared it, please continue to do so if you can," she wrote in the post.

Over 82,000 people donated to the PCRF fundraiser, which will contribute towards food, water, clothing, medical care and other essential aid for children.

The Netflix star has been using her Instagram account to campaign for Palestinian rights and aid for months, calling on her followers to support her fundraising campaigns.

She was also previously spotted wearing an "Artists for Ceasefire" pin in an interview with USA Today while promoting the series.

The pin has been worn by a number of artists and creatives demanding that US President Joe Biden calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

In a recent interview, she said she wore the pin to help do what she could to raise awareness.

"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," she said.

Coughlan revealed that her family lived in Jerusalem in the late 1970s as her father was part of the UN’s Truce Supervision Organisation, which supported efforts to broker peace in the Middle East.

She added that she feels "very passionately" about raising awareness and funds for people in need.

Coughlan, who was born and raised in Galway, spoke of the "huge connection between Ireland and Palestine".

"I’m Irish, also, so it’s sort of a different perspective. I just feel if I have this global platform…and if people would like to donate to that [fundraising link] or share it, I think that would be a wonderful thing to do," she added.

Beyond advocating for Palestine, she has also spoken out about a range of issues, from abortion rights to marriage equality.

Other celebrities to publicly support Gaza include Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Lauryn Hill and Jonathan Glazer, who received backlash following his pro-Palestine acceptance speech after winning the Oscar award.

Israel's war on Gaza has so far killed at least 36,000 Palestinians and injured over 82,000 since 7 October.