They have both had a stab at playing the ultimate star-crossed lover, Tom Holland in the West End and Kit Connor on Broadway.
Whose Romeo would be the best, we wondered. Now the verdict is in on the two British actors who have played Shakespeare’s lead – and it is not looking good for Spider-Man star Holland.
Connor, 20, who is in Netflix series Heartstopper, made his Broadway debut on Thursday alongside West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler, who plays Juliet.
The London-born actor has been showered with praise by critics for his performance. Johnny Oleksinski wrote the New York Post: ‘What an impressive, heart-stopping Broadway debut.’
The Hollywood Reporter said: ‘The standout of this cast is Connor, who invests Romeo with such innocence, impetuousness, romantic ecstasy and lacerating sorrow he breaks your heart.’
Kit Connor, 20, who is in Netflix series Heartstopper, made his Broadway debut on Thursday alongside West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler, who plays Juliet
The London-born actor has been showered with praise by critics for his performance
The Spider-Man actor (pictured with Zendaya), who was born in Kingston, south-west London, starred in a production of Romeo And Juliet at the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End from May to August
The famous balcony scene is given a twist in the modern-day adaptation of the tragedy.
Juliet is on a bed suspended above the stage, and Connor as Romeo jumps and grips on the platform, showing off his rippling muscles, before doing a pull-up to plant a kiss on his co-star.
The impressive physical feat has not just impressed audiences but has gone viral on TikTok.
Other critics said he was ‘compelling’, ‘engaging from beginning to end’, ‘a leading-man revelation’ and said he provides ‘a star-making performance as the endlessly charming Romeo’.
It will be painful reading for his English rival Holland, 28, who also answered the call to play the romantic role.
The Spider-Man actor, who was born in Kingston, south-west London, starred in a production of Romeo And Juliet at the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End from May to August.
Starring alongside Francesca Amewudah-Rivers as his Juliet, Holland’s Hollywood status ensured the whole run was sold out minutes after tickets went on sale.
His return to the stage, after first making his name in the title role of Billy Elliot the Musical in 2008, was met with a lukewarm reaction.
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