Latest news with #LAMDA
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
TALK OF THE TOWN: Sherlock star Benedict and the mystery of the vanishing photographs
It's a mystery that would baffle Sherlock Holmes himself... just why was Benedict Cumberbatch so secretive about doing a stint as a barman for charity? The actor who played the eccentric but brilliant detective on TV, recently spent an evening mixing margaritas at Trejos Tacos, a Mexican bar on Portobello Road, Notting Hill, after he auctioned off his time for a good cause. The highest bidder put him to work in the trendy West London eatery, serving cocktails and shots of tequila to her and her friends. Insiders tell me everyone was enthralled by the attention of their celebrity mixologist, who took to the role exceptionally well. I hear he doted on his starstruck customers and shook hands with fans. But news of the actor's good deed was supposed to be kept under wraps, with a strict 'no photographs' policy in place at the restaurant, which is owned by fellow Hollywood actor Danny Trejo. Despite the ban, pictures of Benedict the Barman did emerge from the night and find their way on to Instagram. But I hear the over-excited punter responsible for the leak was given a terse telling off and the images removed. The Doctor Strange star – soon to be seen with Olivia Colman in a remake of the comedy War Of The Roses – had sold off his services at a gala dinner raising money for the London Academy Of Music and Dramatic Art, of which he is president. Perhaps, Cumberbatch, 58, did not want to be pictured with booze as he's long valued his 'near sobriety', preferring yoga to alcohol. That explanation would be elementary, my dear... Nepo babies assemble! Nico Parker, the daughter of Mission: Impossible actress Thandiwe Newton, made her name in post-apocalypse drama The Last Of Us. Now I can reveal she is dating actor Cooper Hoffman, son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. The pair have been cast in Poetic License, with Jake Bongiovi, son of singer Jon Bon Jovi. It's being made by Maude Apatow, daughter of director Judd. You're just like your ex's mamma, Mia Is Romeo Beckham's ex following in the illustrious footsteps of his fashion designer mother Victoria Beckham? Model Mia Regan has set up a company called Mr Designs Ltd, listing herself as a designer. Last week she unveiled a new collection with high street chain H&M, but the launch party for her collaboration was not, shall we say, 'Posh'. I'm told the low-key affair was hosted at a cafe next to the Woodberry Wetlands in North London, which costs up to £4,000 to hire. Jazzy has landed a film role to dye for Socialite Jazzy de Lisser recently made a dramatic change when she dyed her hair from her natural brunette to a bright blonde and now I think I know why. The 33-year-old daughter of fashion designer Serena Bute has been cast in a new film called Pretty Ugly alongside Nicola Peltz Beckham. De Lisser will play a woman obsessed with social media beauty while Peltz Beckham, 30, will play 'a provocative make-up influencer'. Their characters will face a murder and learn the real meaning of the American Dream. Expect it to be, well, pretty ugly. Make Ellen a De Generes offer... A new life in the Cotswolds has not been without its challenges for ex-US chat show host Ellen De Generes and her actress wife Portia de Rossi, as their house suffered flooding which led to them buying a second home nearby. Now their first mansion, which they bought for £15million, is up for sale – not on the open market but only to the 'right buyer should they approach'. I think the biggest draw is that the house has its own pub. What's not to love? Clangers on air Poor Woody Cook is paying the price for having a famous broadcaster for a mum – everyone gets to know about his howlers. In her new podcast, Radio 2 star Zoe Ball reveals how Woody forgot to pay his car insurance, an error that somehow resulted in bailiffs knocking on the door. Zoe also discloses Woody's nicknames for her. 'He calls me Mum and Bass, because I like drum and bass. But also, we're Mumford and Sons. I'm Mumford, he's Sons.' Sheeran's old togs Want to dress like Ed Sheeran? I'm told the pop star donates his old clothes to the East Anglia Children's Hospice shop in Framlingham, Suffolk. Ed's no style icon but if you fancy jeans, hoodies or checked shirts, you know where to go!
Elle
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
All About Daisy Ridley's Husband, Tom Bateman
Actress Daisy Ridley is a well-known figure in the Star Wars universe, playing the powerful Rey, first introduced in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In a 2021 interview with Tatler, Ridley explained that the role changed how she approaches sharing her private and romantic life, saying, 'When I signed on to Star Wars, there was nothing in my contract that said, 'Your life will be talked about.'' 'It got to the point where I realized so much of my life was out there,' she continued. 'I thought it would be nice to have something that's for me, that isn't for everybody else. I just thought I would keep that separate.' Ridley has stuck to her decision, keeping her relationship with husband Tom Bateman very private. But Bateman is an actor as well, and in July 2025 he was cast in the film adaptation of The Love Hypothesis. Why is this role so relevant to Ridley? It's based on former Star Wars fan fiction by Ali Hazelwood. Her original story published on Ao3 was about Rey and her antagonist/ally, Kylo Ren, played in The Force Awakens by Adam Driver. Driver and Ridley had chemistry on screen and many fans 'shipped' them as a romantic couple. Bateman has been cast as Adam Carlsen, originally based on Driver's character. The story has changed significantly since its first online publication and is now set in the world of a university. In the story, Professor Carlsen embarks on a fake relationship with PhD candidate Olive Smith, to be played by Lili Reinhart. Reinhart shared a TikTok about the casting notice in which she and Bateman are shaking hands as they agree on their phony love story (that might become real). Fans are now even more curious about Bateman and his relationship with Ridley. Here's everything to know so far. Bateman is a British actor raised in Jericho, a suburb of Oxford. Both his parents were teachers and he has thirteen siblings and half-siblings, including a fraternal twin brother named Merlin, per his IMDB bio. Of his family, he told Above the Line in 2023, 'It's funny because people think it's so crazy, but obviously whatever you grow up with is the norm. It doesn't matter what extreme, bizarre circumstances you might grow up in; it's normal for you. It's when you sort of start stepping out into the world and people go, 'Wait, you are one of 13.' You go, 'Oh, I suppose that is a bit different.'' He studied at Cherwell School then joined the National Youth Theatre. He went on to study theater at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and was awarded the Leverhulme Scholarship. He has an extensive theater resume and was a member of the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company. He told Above the Line of LAMDA, 'It was a really cool school. I mean, there are so many amazing drama schools in the U.K. I could only afford to apply to a couple of them, and LAMDA was one of them. I was so lucky to get in. It's an amazing school.' He also has a significant list of credits in film and television, including Peacock's Based on a True Story, Beecham House, and Vanity Fair. Both starred in Kenneth Branagh's 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, according to People. It is not clear when they started dating. Rumors of their relationship and engagement followed them for years before Ridley admitted in a January 2023 interview with Rolling Stone that they were officially married. In a 2019 interview with Marie Claire, Ridley was asked about their rumored engagement, saying only, 'It's a really nice ring that I wear.' 'The thing Is, I've never talked about my personal life, so I won't talk about it now,' she added. 'I'm so aware of how much information about my life is out there, so if there's one thing I don't want to talk about.' The couple has worked together since MOTOE on their 2024 film, Magpie. During the premiere at the SXSW festival, Bateman told CBR that Ridley is one of his 'favorite actors.' 'Being able to write to what I know her strengths are was so rewarding,' he said. 'I could be really daring and bold and write a whole scene with no dialogue and just her character's thoughts. Sam [Yates] our director, he agreed. He said 'Man you can just stick a camera on Daisy and she's got it going and she can hold that.'' 'It was super, super rewarding,' he added. Magpie is actually a thriller about a collapsing marriage, but during a press event, Ridley shared, 'It's funny, because people tell me and Tom that we're the happiest married people they know.' Per the Daily Mail, Ridley also told Radio Times, 'I found that process wonderful because our tastes align on almost everything. I think he's a brilliant writer, and we are so clear about what it is that we wanted to make. And we achieved that.'
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Walter Mitty' actor who starred in The Crown is convicted conman who posed as Army officer with fake medals to get into military dinners
A 'Walter Mitty' actor who claimed to have starred in Netflix 's The Crown has been exposed as a convicted conman who posed as an army officer. James Edward Yeates, 42, claimed to be a reservist Captain in a crack unit within the British Army's intelligence corps, sharing pictures online in full uniform and sporting a chest full of medals. He even appeared to have taken part in a mess function at the Honourable Artillery Company's base in London alongside other veterans and serving personnel. Having founded Military and Aviation Advisors (MAA) Ltd in August 2023, Yeates boasted online about being a 'LAMDA-trained actor, armed forces officer, and skilled pilot'. But LAMDA has told MailOnline they have no record of him being a student. And defence insiders say there are no records of him having ever served in the military. He has now been accused of 'a despicable act of stolen valour' amid claims he tried to dupe film firms into hiring him as a 'military advisor' with his fake army career. A gushing post on MAA Ltd's Instagram account read: 'James brings a dynamic blend of talents. Collaborating closely with industry leaders, James crafts authentic scenes by seamlessly blending creative artistry with military and aviation experience.' It adds: 'With James leading the way, MAA guarantees a fresh level of authenticity and storytelling for your project.' But he has today been exposed as a liar, masquerading as an intelligence chief, after his tale unravelled under scrutiny from the Walter Mitty Hunters Club, a secret network of former soldiers who unmask dubious military claims. According to Walter Mitty Hunter's Club, when they approached him, he signed off his email with 'Major James Yeates, Co-Founder, Military and Aviation Advisors.' The Walter Mitty Hunters Club said no records existed for Yeates in the London Gazette, which publishes honours and awards for gallantry and meritorious service in the armed forces. After checking with dozens of sources across a number of military intelligence units, the group added that 'nobody had ever heard of him'. 'Checks were carried out by multiple sources and everyone came back with a nil return,' the group said. 'Not one mention of his name on anything, no one from the military intelligence (MI) world, regular and reserve could find him, more importantly, no one knew or had heard of him and going by his medals he would have at the very least served for around 19 years to have earned the QJM which he's wear's on his mess dress. A spokesman added: 'The Army is small and the MI world very small, someone would have known of met him, but not a whiff of existence in the corps, or the wider pool. Yeates also claimed his firm, MAA, had worked on the film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but there is showing their involvement. LAMDA confirmed Yeates had not attended any of its courses and that 'no conclusive proof' existed he had been a student with the institution. Yeates, of Dorking, Surrey, dodged jail in 2006 after he took more than £20,000 from customers' bank accounts after his company collapsed. He splashed £22,650 in just three days and later admitted using criminal property and transferring criminal property at Guildford Crown Court. A previous indictment of 30 counts relating to theft was left on file. Yeates was later jailed for 12 months in May 2015 for fraud after spending £7,700 on a credit card that did not belong to him. He bought first class flights to Los Angeles to shoot a video which he hoped would encourage influencers to join his YouTube network Jey Management. Speaking to The Sun, Yeates said: 'Some comments I've made in the past may have been misunderstood or taken out of context. 'My focus has always been on working professionally and in good faith.' He added: 'At no point have I intentionally misled anyone, nor have I attempted to benefit professionally from any misrepresentation.'
Business News Wales
21-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Wool Insulation Wales Joint Venture Secures £300,000 Investment Boost
Ruth-Marie Mackrodt and Liam Britnell A new venture which is pioneering the development of rigid insulation panels made from sheep wool is set to scale up after securing a £300,000 investment boost. Wull Technologies, a joint venture between Manchester-based Vector Labs and Wool Insulation Wales, has received backing from the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and Greater Manchester Combined Authority's GM Advance fund. Each has invested £150,000 in the business. It is the latest 'spin-in' company to gain funding support from the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, following input from university academics into the development of LAMDA, the brand name for its rigid wool fibre panels. A 'spin-in' is an existing company which partners with a university or research institution to leverage resources in order to accelerate growth and innovation, in contrast to a 'spin-out', where a business is created from university research. The funding will enable Wull Technologies to commercialise LAMDA. The panels are being manufactured in Manchester using Welsh mountain sheep wool and a patent-pending green chemistry process developed by Vector Labs' material scientists. Wull Technologies team has now secured more than £500,000 in backing so far, following a grant of £214,000 from Innovate UK's Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing (REforMM) programme for its initial research project in 2023. Vector Labs is based at Manchester's Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and is the technology division of Vector Group. The group includes Vector Homes, which uses sustainable and advanced materials in its low-carbon, affordable, energy-efficient building systems designed for rapid construction and assembly. Wool Insulation Wales, based in Neath Port Talbot, was founded in 2022 by Ruth-Marie Mackrodt and Mair Jones. It turns Welsh sheep wool into loft insulation rolls distributed under the brand name Truewool. Ruth-Marie heads Wull Technologies as commercial director alongside Liam Britnell as technical director. The partnership came about following Vector Homes' development of its flatpack, rapid-build show home at the University of Salford's Energy House 2.0. Liam said: 'Wool Insulation Wales brought sheep wool to our attention. Welsh mountain wool is naturally insulative, breathable and fire-retardant. However, farmers lose money on every sheep sheared. Together, we set out to use materials science to open up new markets for this abundant and underutilised material. 'Rigid panel insulation is widely used and preferred across the construction sector because it is easy to handle, install and cut to shape. 'To our knowledge, there is no rigid wool panel product on the market in the UK, and many natural fibre alternatives use a plastic binder. 'Our scientists have developed a patent-pending process to create rigid sheep wool panels without adding any plastics. This ensures that LAMDA panels are recyclable, biodegradable and provide a sustainable alternative to mineral wool insulation, which is derived from high-energy mining processes. 'LAMDA competes with mineral wool in thermal and acoustic performance while offering superior moisture management, making it ideal for retrofitting heritage buildings where breathability is essential, and for preventing damp in homes, an issue which the UK Health Security Agency has said affects over two million people in England alone.' Liam added: 'What is additionally exciting is how this material could be applied across sectors beyond construction. We've been overwhelmed with interest and positive feedback from sectors including packaging, horticulture and interior design.' The Wull Technologies joint venture sees Vector Labs leading on the research, development and manufacturing, and Wool Insulation Wales contributing its extensive sector expertise. Ruth-Marie said: 'The retrofit challenge presents a huge opportunity to invest in circular economies built around local supply chains and natural materials. 'With many millions of kilograms of wool produced annually in the UK as a byproduct of sheep farming, Wull Technologies provides an innovative and new market for it. 'The biophilic look and feel of LAMDA also makes for a refreshing change from the plastics that dominate our built environment. 'We're incredibly grateful to both the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the University of Manchester Innovation Factory for their support. Their investment means we can now move forward to the next stage of development and begin scaling up for full commercialisation.' Nic Gowland, senior investment and licensing manager at the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, said: 'We've helped facilitate collaborative input from academic experts into the materials science behind LAMDA, ensuring the product is grounded in cutting-edge research. 'We're delighted to formalise our partnership with Wull Technologies and to be part of the company's journey as it grows and continues to innovate in future. 'Through this partnership and continued engagement with the university and Innovation Factory, we're confident the company can become a major player in the application of sustainable materials across multiple industries.' The GM Advance fund, established as part of Greater Manchester's Investment Zone, supports the growth of companies in the advanced materials and manufacturing sector.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Brian Cox on the hard truth about acting
Acting is no easy path, even for legends. At London's LAMDA, Emmy-winning actor Brian Cox shares hard-earned wisdom with a new generation of performers. Drawing on 60 years of experience, he offers tough, honest advice about craft, class, vulnerability, and why holding onto a sense of play is vital for any great actor.
