Idris Elba rushes off stage to help woman having seizure during new play, ‘Tree’
Actor and director Idris Elba rushed to help a woman when she suffered a seizure watching him perform in a preview of his new play, "Tree."
A theatre-goer has opened up about how actor Idris Elba rushed off stage to help her when she suffered a seizure during a preview of his new play Tree.
Idris, 46, was reportedly quick to aid Amanda Billington, 33, after she collapsed and lost consciousness at Upper Campfield Market Hall in Manchester on Wednesday.
Billington says she has regular seizures due to an undiagnosed condition, the Evening Standard reports. Elba stayed with her until paramedics arrived and escorted her to an ambulance. She was transported to a local hospital for a check-up and was later released.
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“I would love to thank him personally, but doubt I will cross paths with him, he’s very famous,” She told the Mirror. “I would love to thank him personally, but doubt I will cross paths with him — he’s very famous.”
Elba is starring in Tree, which he co-wrote with Kwame Kwei-Armah. The play is running as part of the Manchester International Festival.
As theGrio previously reported, two British women writers have accused the Hollywood heavyweight of not acknowledging their four years worth of contributions made on the project.
Tori Allen-Martin and Sarah Henley published a statement on Medium outlining their gripes, which Elba called “frustrating.”
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“It’s worth mentioning that this whole process has been terribly upsetting and we’ve felt terrified about speaking out, but we want to be the change we want to see, and ultimately have been left with no choice because those involved fail to accept that we have a claim,” the duo wrote.
The Luther star responded to their accusations on Twitter, noting that he “will continue to offer opportunities and to support the next generation of writers and talent.”
“We wanted to offer an opportunity to support these new writers while creating a piece of work and scale and to a director’s vision,” Elba wrote “The outcome is an accusation of plagiarism and discrimination.”
Tree is running at the festival until July 13.
