The pin represents Artists4Ceasefire, a collection of artists who wrote an open letter to President Biden calling for “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost.” The pin has been worn by a number of the letter’s other signatories, such as Billie Eilish and Mark Ruffalo at the Oscars.
In a new interview with USA Today, Nicola was asked why she’s chosen to wear the pin. She replied, “It’s very important for me because I feel like I’m a very privileged person. 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 further explained that her father’s role in the Irish Army and the UN led her family to live in Jerusalem in the late ’70s. “I feel very passionately about it,” she continued. “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 Palestinians.”
Last month, in an interview with Teen Vogue, Nicola said that she was initially warned against her activism, explaining, “You do get told, ‘You won’t get work,’ ‘You won’t do this.’ 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.”
Well over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli retaliation since the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas. This number includes at least 13,000 children.
