Latest news with #Belinda
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Doctor Who star hits out at fans over exit criticism and says 'it's unfair'
Doctor Who star Varada Sethu has hit back at fans who have criticised her exit from the BBC show and called it 'unfair' of them Doctor Who star Varada Sethu, has hit back at fans who have criticised her exit from the BBC show. The actress, 33, played companion Belinda Chandra in the long-running sci-fi programme throughout the fifteen series but left the show when the latest series wrapped up at the end of May. In the dramatic finale, the titular Time Lord (Ncuti Gatwa) sacrificed himself to bring their daughter Poppy back into a kind of reality where she only exists as Belinda's child, not his, so they said goodbye. Despite being met with mostly positive feedback, Varada has now claimed that it is 'unfair' for some fans to to have taken umbrage with the way she was written out, telling MTV UK:"I feel like the majority - it was so much love. Reactions that always make me laugh… it's a bit unfair because I think the writing was beautiful. It think it was tied up in a way that was perfect, I cannot think of a better way of completing that circle. "But it's always like, 'Oh, I can't believe I won't get to see Belinda'. It's a frustration that comes from people loving Belinda so much that they're like, 'I can't believe I don't get more.'" Varada, who previously starred in Star Wars: Andor before landing the coveted role of the doctor's companion, thinks that her character's story was 'beautifully tied up' despite the negative reaction it received from some viewers of the series. And just days after the finale had aired, she took to social media to insist that she had only had a positive experience on set. She wrote on Instagram: "Wow wow wow wow wow. I'm sooo late to the party (as always), but needed to take a few days to process this show, this finale and everything & everyone it has brought into my life, what it all means. My heart has doubled in size. I have felt so so full of gratitude and love, I still feel I haven't found the words to express it. It has been a true gift to know a woman like Belinda, I will never forget our journey together." Praising her co-stars, she continued by writing: "Thank you [Ncuti] for being my partner in crime, my beloved Doctor. You are unending, pure magic, what a privilege it's been to bear witness to it. Mom & Dad forever. My sweet angel [ Millie Gibson ], thank you for your kindness, for always lifting me up, you have stolen everyone's hearts!! I cannot wait to see what life has in store for you." Varada then expressed gratitude for some colleagues who worked behind-the-scenes. She wrote: "For teaching me and showing me love & support like I've never known before." She added in the post this week: "Thank you to every beautiful soul involved in this madness." She concluded: "And of course to the beautiful fans, thank you soooo much for embracing Belinda, for all the kind words, all the joy! I think I finally understand what you meant [ Russell T. Davies ] when you said my life would never be the same. I feel transformed. Thank you thank you thank you." Earlier this year, Ncuti addressed his own departure from Doctor Who. During the episode, titled The Reality War, the Fifteenth Doctor regenerated – showing Billie Piper in his place. In a video message shared by the BBC, Ncuti said: "It's a role that demands a lot of you physically and emotionally and mentally. The actors playing the Doctor are only actors playing the Doctor. Unfortunately, we are mere mortals." Ncuti, who also reflected on the experience elsewhere in the video, released on Saturday, added: "I would love to have the energy and the youth to be able to do this full time for the rest of my life, but my knees are telling me it's time." And in a statement, he said: "You know when you get cast, at some point you are going to have to hand back that sonic screwdriver and it is all going to come to an end, but nothing quite prepares you for it. This journey has been one that I will never forget and a role that will be part of me forever."
Straits Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Theatre review: Dido & The Belindas a safe party for the abandoned
Dido & The Belindas T:>Works 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road July 18, 9pm Part of the fun of this is in the late-night, underground ambience, the audience dragging their chairs round little cocktail tables, bottles of drinks already flowing. In a theatre scene more familiar with the cushy theatres of the Esplanade or Wild Rice, here is immediately a sense of possibility. Then Singapore drag queen Becca D'Bus strides onto the runway stage, plumped up with heaps of garment and wearing as her crown a tin foil-lined helmet of antenna, belting aria: 'Ah! Belinda, I am press'd... Peace and I are strangers grown.' The lament from Henry Purcell's 1689 opera Dido And Aeneas is mournfully sung by American lyric tenor Thomas Michael Allen, equally heavily made-up and sat amid the audience in a high chair. D'Bus mouths the words in sync, gesticulating mockingly, sometimes impatient. The clash of aesthetics is at once brazen but also familiar to drag culture, where model poses in the photo shoots of vogue and the boldest fashion pieces have always been appropriated to glamorise and empower. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours in Yishun HDB block Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died Here it is, attracting a theatre crowd, set to the twangs of the harpsichord played by Japanese musician Toru Yamanaka. Dido & The Belindas is the theatre part of theatre company T:>Works' celebration of its 40th anniversary. Under the DnA Fest umbrella, it is a third of a trilogy that also includes a film and an afterparty, which people can experience together or in parts. Each is an inflection on the classic story of spurned love and duty, originally told in Virgil's Aeneid, but wrenched in radical directions by artistic director Ong Keng Sen. So Dido & The Belindas becomes set to the key of abandonment and societal ostracisation, in a kind of whiplash roulette that both truncates the opera and expands its relevance. Greek hero Aeneas is an afterthought, cast as an easily turned-on chandelier. Dido's closest companion Belinda becomes a tribe of misfits – including a confessional intersex character – though the show really tries to centre itself on the real-life story of wheelchair-bound Singaporean Valerie Eng, also known as V4LCY, paralysed from the waist down after a suicide attempt. The heft of the show brings the fantastical fun of the opera back down to earth. Carthage queen Dido D'Bus signposts: 'This is here. This is now.' She becomes facilitator to a live video call with V4LCY, during which the now para-athlete reads her poems and rehashes an interview she did with local media channel Our Grandfather Story. Of course, like Dido, she once chose to die rather than suffer a lack of love, an act rehabilitated to become a brave one here, reaffirming the fundamental right to hugs and care. This reviewer is reminded of British author Zadie Smith's White Teeth (2020), in which the novelist writes: 'Everybody deserves clean water. Not everybody deserves love all the time.' This can be seen as a painful rejoinder. T:>Works' Dido & The Belindas. PHOTO: DEBBIE Y And of course, more meta-textually, there is a reordering of priorities from the original, which centres on Aeneas' higher duty of founding the city of Lavinium, his descendants later founding Rome – that city of riches, violence, slavery and eventual imperialism. In Dido And Aeneas is also an alternative path for the modern world: What if Aeneas, instead of leaving, had stayed to nurse his tendresse? The ceding of this space to V4LCY is telling of director Ong's priorities, given that it inevitably takes the spirited momentum of the show down a notch. The attempt to kick-start it again after this is a difficult transition for audiences, which is a shame, with the next florid, durian-filled funeral offering some of the best tableaus and cathartic weeping. But the point of Dido & The Belindas is really not in acting or conventional theatre. Through the rough sketches of a known story, it builds solidarities, between theatre and drag culture, between queerness and other axes of exclusion. In the Arcimboldo-esque fruit and gimp mask showpiece costumes designed by D'Bus and Khairullah Rahim, the final hurrah of 1998 gay anthem Believe by American singer Cher, and the pushing of the singular Belinda to the plural, it manages to create the safest of spaces. And is that not the point of theatre, which has allowed generations of those who have felt a tiny bit left out of the mainstream to discover confidence in who they are? Book It/Dido & The Belindas
Los Angeles Times
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Belinda's ‘Heterocomía' won't generate much revenue — but the catharsis was worth it
Mexican superstar Belinda knew she wouldn't generate much revenue from her viral song 'Heterocomía.' She did it anyway. In an interview with CNN en Español, the singer revealed that she brokered a costly deal with Disney to secure the rights to the theme from the 1970 animated film 'The Aristocats.' 'I don't think I will see those royalties, ever' said Belinda in the interview with Juan Carlos Arciniegas. 'But it was worth it.' She put her own spin on a 20-second sound bite from the film's original soundtrack, and used it to kick off her track 'Heterocomía' which was released earlier this summer as part of her comeback fifth studio album, 'Indómita.' '[The Aristocats] is a classic,' said Belinda. 'And I imagined that introduction because it's the vibe of the song.' The Spanish-born singer, who is also of French descent, didn't stick to the original lyrics sung by Maurice Chevalier. Instead, she added her own flare, puffing up the bourgeois frippery of the original song to meet this modern moment: 'Which cats wear Loro Piana? What cats only play golf? Which cats drink Aperol? Naturellement, the Aristocats.' The song's fairy-tale introduction quickly devolves into a gloomier tale riddled with deception — and the culminating moment of realization that she had been fooled by a two-faced lover. 'I obsess over the intros in songs and that they sound one way and then completely break off into another song,' said Belinda. Following the release of her fifth studio album, Belinda drew attention to these lyrics with a homemade TikTok dance video, which has amassed more than 14 million views since its upload on June 8. Many online fans began to speculate that the song hinted at Belinda's past romantic relationship with Gonzalo Hevia Baillères, a billionaire heir whose family owns El Palacio de Hierro, Mexico City's upscale department store and made their fortune mining the country. Hevia Baillères has heterochromia, a condition in which one's eyes are two different colors. It is also the namesake for this seething track. Belinda has not confirmed the validity of these comparisons to the public, but the song's scorching lyrics might provide some insight: 'You are old money, they call you Bunny, and I'll pass your palace through my booty.' So while Disney may keep a majority of the royalties from the song, it looks like Belinda is walking away with something that money can't buy: sweet revenge.
Sinar Daily
16-07-2025
- Business
- Sinar Daily
Taco Bell, Sinar Daily team up to empower Gen Z through lifestyle, career outreach
The programme highlighted the brand's growing role in youth engagement beyond just food. Belinda (second from left) with Taco Bell Malaysia staff. Photo by Asril Aswandi Abd Shukor KUALA LUMPUR - Aiming to make a meaningful impact on youth, Taco Bell Malaysia and Sinar Daily have launched a collaborative programme at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak) designed to raise mental health awareness and introduce corporate values in a relatable and engaging way for Gen Z students. Held under the banner of Choose Your Hard, the event featured a Treasure Hunt activity that blended fun with purposeful messaging. Sponsored by Taco Bell, the programme highlighted the fast-food brand's growing role in youth engagement beyond just food. 'This programme not only raises awareness on mental health, but also reflects the values we believe in – giving back to the community, especially Gen Z. 'Today, we saw first-hand how students mentioned Taco Bell by name and came because they knew we were the sponsor. That proves our brand's impact among young people,' Taco Bell Malaysia's Head of Marketing, Belinda Ho said. Taco Bell Malaysia's human resources (HR) representatives were also present at the programme to explain career opportunities to university students, including internships and part-time work. Photo by Asril Aswandi Abd Shukor Choose Your Hard also marked Taco Bell's first direct collaboration with university students. The brand currently operates around 20 outlets concentrated in the Klang Valley and Penang, with plans to expand into southern Malaysia in 2026 including to Sabah and Sarawak following a restructuring. 'We will continue our marketing approach with the slogan 'Live More', which has been localised into 'Live Kaw Kaw' to resonate better with local consumers,' Belinda added. To further support youth development, Taco Bell also brought along their human resource (HR) team to present internship and part-time job opportunities to students. The partnership with Taco Bell marks a fresh boost for Sinar Daily's outreach initiatives. Lifestyle editor Syahirah Mokhtazar shared that the platform is constantly exploring new ways to connect with the Gen Z audience. Some of the participants of the Choose Your Hard programme held at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UniRazak), Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Asril Aswandi Abd Shukor 'Collaborating with a brand like Taco Bell that already has influence among content creators is a big help in reaching that target. This is the first edition and the response has been very positive. 'If Taco Bell is open to sponsoring again, we are definitely open to continuing the collaboration,' she added. Although there are no immediate plans for a tour to other campuses, Syahirah said the team is open to future ideas. The initiative is part of Sinar Daily's broader strategy to connect with young people through lifestyle content, career platforms and social awareness while building long-term partnerships with influential brands.
The South African
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
National anthem pride: 'Whitney Houston' tribute singer wows crowd
Belinda Davids, the South African singer known for chanelling the late, great Whitney Houston in tribute concerts around the world – wowed Springbok fans after performing the national anthem at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha. For the second time, South Africa faced off against Italy. Moments before kick-off between the Springboks and Italy, all eyes were on Belinda Davids, who passionately sang the South African national anthem. The Port Elizabeth-born performer wore an emerald green dress with a cape in the South African colours. It was undoubtedly a special occasion for Belinda, who sang Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika on home soil for the first time. Speaking ahead of the game, the singer told Daily Maverick: 'You have no idea how exciting this is for me. Because I get to do it at home, what an honour. And it's long overdue, to be honest. I can't wait!' It was also a memorable moment for Springbok Willie Le Roux, who made his 100th test match appearance in green and gold. Watch the proud moment below…. Belinda Davids is no stranger to the spotlight, having headlined the Whitey Houston tribute concert, The Greatest Love of All, around South Africa, and in the US, and UK. The Springboks national anthem singer belts out classics like I Will Always Love You, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and I'm Every Woman amongst others in the two-hour production. In 2020, Belinda moved Britain's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell to tears during her audition. In 2023, she returned for the All-Star season, where she earned a Golden Buzzer pass. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
