The Color Purple - Leicester Curve / U.K. Tour

Agree with all of the above. This is such a sad case, and I was really hoping she'd retract her former statement, but given that she didn't, it really wouldn't have been right for her to continue in this role.

She is "formidably talented" as sf says, and her Nettie was a real highlight of the Cadogan Hall sing-through, in which she was both effervescent and moving.

Its horrible that people get indoctrinated into toxic and harmful beliefs, and such beliefs are incredibly hard to shift when they are rooted in religion.

The best, perhaps the ONLY way, I have found to tackle these sorts of beliefs is to counter them from within the person's belief system, otherwise a true believer will simply reject everything you say.

In this case, the response should probably be:

(1) Did not Jesus say "Judge not lest ye be judged?"

(2) If Leviticus says that homosexuality is an "abomination," does not also Deuteronomy say that rebellious children should be "stoned to death?" Why reject one toxic belief but retain the other?

(3) Is it not the case that Luke describes Jesus as a human who "grew in wisdom and knowledge," and is it not the case that Jesus himself once refused to heal a non-Jew, but then relented in his belief, and healed the non-Jew? If Jesus changed his beliefs and teachings in the light of his compassion, why can't you?

(4) Is it not the case that Jesus rewrote all those old rules about not eating pork and shellfish in his new covenant, in the Sermon on the mount, where he stated that henceforth the "only" laws are to love thy neighbour and thy God, and in light of that, the Leviticus prescriptions must also be rewritten in light of that compassionate new Covenant?

(5) Remember rule number 1: "Judge not lest ye be judged."

I usually find that the above observations undermine the basis of Christian biblical homophobia pretty effectively.

If you're reading this, Ms Omooba, please take note, and best wishes.

Another person's career has been severely derailed or possibly finished by a social media post, today the younger generation have to be so careful about what they say as things can come back and haunt them. Growing up in the 1970's and the 1980's even into the 1990's I said some things and had some views I'm not particularly proud of now but also things were said in jest and the heat of the moment to people I am still friends with to this day.

With everything being about inclusivity and understanding today, I've joked at work about when they are bigging up having a multi faith prayer room and LGB events wondering how they would reconcile if someone's faith didn't agree with someone else's lifestyle/sexuality.

With the girl being "removed" from the cast we don't know what other cast members/creatives might have said - they could have expressed that they didn't want to work with her. Interestingly her father is a Christian Pastor who was made an MBE this year, if he was preaching similar ideas to what she said then he'd have been unlikely to get this honour I'd have thought.

Thing is, if someone dug up something homophobic I'd said on the internet years ago, I would be absolutely mortified and positively frantic to make amends. I wouldn't dig my heels in and say something like "I said it, and I meant it, and if you want me gone you'll have to fire me, but then I'll sue your asses for religious discrimination" (or whatever's gone down in Leicester this week, I'm just guessing). Careers can be damaged by a post on social media, but no one forced her to post it, she hasn't said she no longer holds these beliefs so we can safely assume she still does, and she hasn't even thrown out a weak "I'm sorry if people were hurt" nonpology. If her career ends, it's ultimately because of her own choices. Social media might have helped, but the ultimate blame lies with her and no one else.

Rule number 2. Rebellious children should be stoned to death. Numerous trips on buses at school kicking out time tell me I could fully get on board with this

I actually did a bit of delving into her father's award this morning and was surprised to find it had been awarded given his views. Though that rather unpleasant Tory MP Christopher Chope got a knighthood in recent times.

There had been some bubbling under about her views when she was doing Little Shop of Horrors but it has come to a head when she was cast in this role.

Would any gay casting director, director or producer consider her for any role now I wonder and even straight ones who may be very pro LGBT. 

ynaija.com/seyi-omooba-i-shouldnt-be-punished-for-my-homophobia-i-was-born-this-way/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

I have no words.

So angry.

Thanks to Rukaya for posting this on Twitter

I really can't see ANYone being in a hurry to cast her in anything again, this is a helluva choice.

Incredible double standards. People are not born gay but she is born homophobic?!

Just not quite homophobic enough to turn down this role, obviously.

God created her out of one of Ann Widdecombe's ribs.

I really don't understand how you can go through musical theatre training, where you're surrounded by people of all types, including many gay people. Then, you end up still with those views, still wanting to be in the industry and with other people still wanting to work with you.

No. We don’t need remarks like this. It does nothing constructive.

As Rodgers and Hammerstein said:

You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught