Tracy-Ann Oberman: Unabashedly Fighting Antisemitism and Reclaiming "The Merchant of Venice"

Tracy-Ann Oberman is a British actress. She gained prominence for her role as Chrissie Watts in the long-running British soap opera "EastEnders." Oberman has appeared in numerous television shows, including "Doctor Who," "Friday Night Dinner," and "Toast of London."

Tracy-Ann is passionate about Jewish rights and uses her platform to speak about these issues and has been doing so for decades. In 2025,she was awarded an MBE for services to Holocaust Education and Combatting Antisemitism.

In a tweet announcing the award, she wrote that her “recent production of The Merchant of Venice 1936—isdriven by a commitment to Holocaust education and challenging antisemitism through storytelling. As well as bringing communities together through shared understanding. This recognition is deeply meaningful and I’m grateful to all who have supported this journey.”

We discuss Tracy-Ann’s fearless commitment to publicly defending jews wherever she can, and the way she has combined her activism with her art in The Merchant of Venice 1936.

Today's episode was produced by Tani Levitt and Mijon Zulu. To check out more episodes or to learn more about the show, you can visit our website Allaboutchangepodcast.com. If you like our show, spread the word, tell a friend or family member, or leave us a review on your favorite podcasting app. We really appreciate it. All About Change is produced by the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Intro

1:22 Early influences and defining moments

4:01 The rise of antisemitism

8:16 Courage in advocacy

12:41A new perspective on The Merchant of Venice 1936

24:09Fortitude in activism

28:00Conclusion

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