Romeo & Julio & Friends

25-year-old Julio Clifford, a successful gay black British and South African designer returns to London, Britain, from abroad after seven years. He reunites with childhood friends and through them meets the charming, handsome and disconcertingly confident Romeo Moses. Romeo is a 29-year-old white British and Italian Architect/Model. Julio is the opposite of Romeo, he is gentle, sensible and warm-hearted.

Everything is perfect and sparks are flying but there is a problem. Romeo has a girlfriend, Julio’s older sister’s childhood friend, Poppy, who is also one of Julio’s oldest and dearest friends. Will Romeo act out his yearning for Julio? Will Julio betray his old friend in the name of love falling for Romeo’s charms?

Romeo likes how smart, independent and confident Julio is. He likes the soul within Julio. Julio likes Romeo’s charisma, assertiveness, strength, and how he cares for others.

But then, Julio’s emotionally abusive ex-husband, Hassan, arrives in town and begins to stalk him. Will it tear Julio and Romeo apart?

A story about love and friendship with many twists and turns showing Romeo and Julio’s lives unfold while they, with their friends, deal with the stress of living and working in 21^st century City of London. Romeo & Julio & Friends shows the people of multicultural Britain and their queer lives unfolding in the high-pressure modern-day world.

Leo C. Akuwudike was born in London, United Kingdom in 1989 and was educated at Langdon School (now called Langdon Academy). For his GCSEs, he passed English Literature taking the test on William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’. In the summer of 2005 for work experience he worked as an admin assistant for Laing O’Rourke in Canary Wharf.

On his second birthday, Leo won a baby competition for babies born the same day as him. As a child he had a passion for writing, drama, sports, and art. In his teenage years Leo attended and trained at Sylvia Young Theatre School. Whilst at sixth form, he was advised to re-take his GCSE in English Literature in the hope of getting into a good university. From there he took writing classes and for research watched Baz Luhrmann’s movie of ‘Romeo + Juliet’.

He has received a degree in Graphic & Media Design from the University of the Arts London at the institution London College of Communication, graduating in 2016.

In recent years he has modelled at Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion. He has worked with artists Sonia Boyce and Mister Rob as well as working for brand Charlotte Tilbury.

All this diverse experience has been used in his novels and screenplays.