Christian Actress Fired Over Religious Post Loses Appeal

Seyi Omooba (R) attends Magic Radio's event 'Magic at The Musicals' held at Royal Albert Hall in London, England, on May 21, 2018. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

Christian actress Seyi Omooba, who was ousted from her leading role in the stage adaptation of “The Color Purple” due to a controversial Facebook post made in 2014 regarding homosexuality, faces legal fees totaling over $414,000, as ruled by judges at the Employment Tribunal London. Despite her claims of discrimination, breach of contract, and harassment being dismissed, the tribunal has ordered her to cover the legal expenses of her former agency and the Leicester-based Curve Theatre, where she was slated to perform. However, the final amount she may have to pay is yet to be determined pending further assessment.

Ms. Omooba’s legal battle ensued after she filed a lawsuit against Leicester Curve Theatre and Global Artists Agency, alleging discrimination and breach of contract following her removal from the lead role in the scheduled stage production back in 2019.

The controversy originated from a Facebook post by Ms. Omooba in September 2014, wherein she expressed her Christian beliefs regarding homosexuality, particularly in response to legislative changes on same-sex marriage. In the post, she asserted her belief that homosexuality is not innate and that homosexual practices are not morally acceptable, citing biblical verses to support her stance.

The post read, “I do not believe you can be born gay, and I do not believe homosexual practice is right, though the law of this land has made it legal doesn’t mean its right.”

Despite her subsequent casting as the lead character Celie in “The Color Purple,” Omooba’s lawyers from the Christian Legal Centre contended that she did not perceive Celie as a lesbian character and was not explicitly informed of the character’s sexual orientation. Attorney Pavel Stroilov emphasized the ambiguity surrounding Celie’s sexuality in the film adaptation and argued that Omooba was not obligated to portray her as a lesbian.

In response to the tribunal’s ruling, Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, condemned what she saw as an act of censorship and discrimination, characterizing Omooba’s case as a reflection of broader societal issues.  Ms. Williams criticized the tribunal’s decision as an endorsement of ideological conformity over religious freedom and vowed to appeal the judgment. Christian Concern is most notably recognized for handling prominent legal cases stemming from their efforts to support Christians facing discrimination in the workplace due to their faith. However, their website notes that their services extend beyond this to offer aid and guidance to diverse individuals.

In a press release on the Christian Concern website, Ms. Williams stated, “This is an open and shut case of discrimination against the Christian faith if there ever was one. Seyi was racially abused, received death threats and was hounded out of her career for a polite and temperate expression of what the Bible says about marriage. An unjust ruling which defends her sacking cannot stand and we will be taking this to the Court of Appeal.”

A 2021 joint statement from Curve Theater’s chief executive Chris Stafford and artistic director Nikolai Foster, posted on the theater’s website, reads: “We are pleased Seyi Omooba’s claims against Curve have been rejected by an employment tribunal. Seyi Omooba accepted a lesbian part in our production of THE COLOR PURPLE knowing full well she would refuse to play this iconic gay role as homosexual. We believe the case had no merit from the outset, and should never have been brought to the tribunal.”

The Epoch Times reached out to Christian Concern for a statement.