Mean Girls Actress Scared to Leave House as Belfast Show Cancelled
Vivian Panka, the star of the Mean Girls UK tour, has revealed she is 'scared to leave her house' while staying in Belfast after violent riots erupted in the city. The musical, which was scheduled to run at the Grand Opera House from June 9 to June 20, has had all performances cancelled due to the disorder.
The 29-year-old actress, who is the first Black performer to portray Regina George in the UK tour, took to TikTok to share her ordeal but has since deleted the video. According to the BBC, she described the situation as 'very sad' and admitted to keeping her curtains closed out of fear.
'People are saying and doing things that I completely don't agree with, and it's very scary to be here right now, especially as a person of colour – but just I'm worried for everyone in our company,' Vivian said. 'There were fires in the street. The company that I work for and the theatre have decided to cancel yesterday's show, which was good.'
The actress revealed that some fans have sent her angry messages about the cancellations. She urged them to consider the cast's safety, particularly those who are people of colour, as 'people are actively targeting black people'.
'I just really wanna ask people to think before they send me a DM because I haven't left my house because I am scared to do so,' she explained. 'My blinds, I just opened them slightly to make this video, but they have been closed.'
Vivian emphasised that the cancellations were a safety issue for everyone and 'not their choice'. Having been born in the Netherlands and moved to London a few years ago, she added: 'I'm just very careful because I'm not even from this country.'
The actress was cast as the lead mean girl Regina George – played by Rachel McAdams in the original film – in March. She called it 'monumental' at the time, admitting she never thought she'd land the role despite 'always wanting to play' the legendary character.
A spokesperson for Belfast's Grand Opera House told the BBC: 'Given the uncertainty caused by the unrest in recent days, the producers of Mean Girls have taken the difficult decision to cancel the musical's run at the Grand Opera House. We know that customers will share our disappointment, and on behalf of the producers and the Theatre, we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Ticket holders will be contacted directly by email over the next few days regarding refund arrangements.'
