Latest news with #MissUniverse
India.com
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sushmita Sen's Ex-Boyfriend Rohman Shawl Accused Of ‘Living Under Miss Universe's Shadow', His Reaction Wins Internet
New Delhi: Model and actor Rohman Shawl, Sushmita Sen's ex-boyfriend, recently celebrated seven years with her through a heartfelt post. The post caught netizens' attention, with many questioning their current relationship status. In a long post, Rohman expressed gratitude to the former Miss Universe, along with a black-and-white photo of the two. The actor-model wrote while celebrating their seven years, 'Some stories outgrow their titles, but never their meaning.' He added that the duo are 'Not lovers, not strangers, something softer, rarer!!! You were once my safe place & somehow, still are!!!!' View this post on Instagram A post shared by rohman shawl (@rohmanshawl) One user accused Rohman of 'living in Sushmita's shadow.' The comment read: 'Friend-zoned you are! Just get out of it and own yourself! Individually, you can do more than living just as a shadow of Ms Universe!' Rohman's graceful reply to the comment won hearts online, as he emphasized that being associated with someone remarkable doesn't diminish him. He wrote: 'Being associated with someone remarkable doesn't diminish me; it reflects the kind of people I choose to walk beside. And my love, galaxies don't cast shadows—they shine together!! Much love.' His response earned praise from many, who appreciated his composure and maturity. Sushmita Sen and Rohman Shawl's Relationship Rohman and Sushmita were first linked in 2018. In 2021, Sushmita confirmed their breakup with an Instagram post. She shared a picture with Rohman and wrote: 'We began as friends, we remain friends!! The relationship was long over… the love remains!!' However, the two have continued to be spotted at public events and gatherings, often raising eyebrows about their bond. On the work front, Rohman made his acting debut last year with the Tamil film Amaran, where he played the antagonist and received critical acclaim for his performance. Meanwhile, Sushmita Sen was last seen in the show Taali: Bajaungi Nahi, Bajwaungi.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Canadian beauty queen Siera Bearchell says she was bullied for her weight during Miss Universe pageant: 'The world called me fat'
"My dream of standing on the Miss Universe stage was achieved because I had more to offer to the world than a number on a scale," wrote Bearchell in a recent social media post. Siera Bearchell is opening up about the journey to rebuild her confidence during her time as Miss Universe Canada. In an Instagram post on Monday, Bearchell said she faced intense scrutiny and bullying for her weight while representing Canada at the Miss Universe pageant in 2017. On Monday, Bearchell shared a series of images to Instagram from her time as Miss Universe Canada, including a photo of herself in a swimsuit that included the text, 'The world called me fat and this is what I did…' Throughout the carousel, Bearchell said that her excitement was tainted by hurtful comments when she arrived at the Miss Universe competition in Manila. 'I showed up and people started calling me 'fat,' 'Miss Piggy Universe' and 'whale,'' she wrote. 'I was labelled the plus-sized contestant. People even accused me of gaining weight on purpose to 'stand out.'' According to Bearchell, she had 'minimal support' from the national team. 'I could feel they didn't believe in me, and I started to lose confidence in myself,' she added. 'Until I remembered that I got to this point because I wasn't afraid to show up as me. I came this far because I knew that beauty and confidence was beyond size. My dream of standing on the Miss Universe stage was achieved because I had more to offer to the world than a number on a scale.' Bearchell, who ultimately finished in the top nine, said she spent the days before the pageant working to repair her confidence so that she could 'stand tall' and 'proud.' 'I quite literally coached myself into having the confidence to step on that stage … even when the world was making memes of me that were making fun of me for not being as thin as the other contestants,' she continued. The now 32-year-old married mother-of-two said she's been using the 'confidence tips and tricks' to help her 'show up' in her life. 'I have realized people will doubt you and it's up to you to show up anyways,' she said. The post earned praise from followers who applauded Bearchell for weathering the storm of negativity. 'I am so amazed with the way you expressed yourself and how you owned the stage with so much confidence and that's the purpose of Miss Universe,' a follower wrote. 'Beauty competitions or pageantries supersede just having a beautiful body…' 'And you were literally a size 6/8,' wrote former Miss Universe contestant Jill Lavertu. 'I will say, I'm so glad I lost to you because you won with confidence, integrity and grace. Beautiful then, beautiful now.' In 2023, Berachell posted a clip of herself giving a talk to students at Rundle College in Calgary, Alta., discussing the importance of self worth. 'No matter what, people are going to judge me," she said. "As long as I'm happy with who I am and I'm exuding that confidence myself, that's what really matters. "The relationship we have with ourselves, really sets the tone for many things in our lives," she continued. 'Really having that strong sense of inner worth and how we see ourselves. The inner dialogue is way more important than a lot of us believe. How we speak to ourselves — 'cause we would never speak to friends the way we speak to ourselves right?"
News24
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News24
‘I used nearly 80 000 beads for a Thabo Mbeki portrait – and got to meet him'
When Lindiwe Hlatswayo (30) recently walked onto the stage at Joburg Theatre carrying a portrait made from almost 80 000 beads, she wasn't just presenting artwork to former president Thabo Mbeki – she was proving that childhood dreams, no matter how humble, can come true. After 700 hours of meticulous work over three months, handing the beaded portrait to Mbeki represented the culmination of a journey that began with plastic bottles and loose beads in her Pretoria home. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beads by Lindiwe (@lind_i_we) This is her story. 'I've been fascinated with beads since I was 12 years old. I would collect plastic bottles while my parents bought me beads. I'd paste the beads around the bottles to create decorative pieces or make beaded rings. And when I wasn't beading, I was drawing. Throughout primary school, I honed my drawing skills and beading techniques. In Grade 10, I made a bold decision – with my former teacher as my guide, I secretly went to enquire about enrolling at Pro Arte Alphen Park Performing and Creative Arts High School in Menlyn. I'll never forget walking through the front door at home, application form in hand and watching my parents' surprised faces. While they seemed sceptical and had hoped I would follow a traditional academic route, they supported my artistic dreams. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beads by Lindiwe (@lind_i_we) After high school, I enrolled at Tshwane University of Technology for a degree in textile technology, but due to financial constraints, I couldn't continue after my first year. In 2015, I started working at a packaging company and soon after began teaching English online for various Chinese companies. But then Covid hit and we were in lockdown. It was a dark time – I was no longer working, I was pregnant with my first child and we couldn't go anywhere. I started using my beading as an outlet, not knowing it would change everything. The first piece I created was of military officer and former prime minister of Burkina Faso, Thomas Sankara. It took me two months to produce an A5 portrait. At the time, I was testing my limits and discovering what was possible. At the end of 2020, I received my first commissioned work from a client who wanted a portrait of a loved one – and that was the official launch of my company, Beads by Lindiwe. Since then, I've woven portraits that celebrate our heritage and identity. I've created singer Nomcebo Zikode using 18 000 beads, [actress] Nandi Madida's beaded portrait with 16 000 beads and former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi's piece took 14 444 beads, which I use to showcase at my various exhibitions. I also create portraits of historical leaders because I believe this is my way of keeping our heroes alive. My portraits celebrate heritage, identity and resilience – creating a link between the past and present. When I create a portrait, I use Excel to outline my drawing and calculate how many beads I'll need. I then buy the beads at Marabastad, string them and weave the picture together. One of the most challenging aspects is that beads aren't always the same size, which affects the shape of the portrait. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beads by Lindiwe (@lind_i_we) Last December, a regular client of mine, politician Lesego Makhubela, who discovered my work in 2021, called and requested that I create a portrait of Thabo Mbeki to honour the former president. Because it was the December holidays, I didn't work on it immediately. I started the piece in March this year. A week before I finished the artwork, I spoke with Lesego about my progress. He then said he had a better idea – with the former president having a birthday celebration in June, it would be best if I gave it to him personally. He connected me with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, who sent me an official invitation just a day before the event. It took me three months, 700 hours and 77 558 individual beads to create the portrait. Being able to present it to him in person felt surreal. When I went on stage, I felt so honoured to be chosen. During my handover speech, I told him that I hoped the portrait would serve as a lasting reminder of the impact he's made in our country. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beads by Lindiwe (@lind_i_we) Tata Thabo is a man of few words, so when I gave it to him, he simply said, 'Thank you.' But I think it took him back to his younger days because he looked at the picture and said, 'Yoh, I was such a young man.' For me, it was a reminder that my work was not in vain because it's difficult being an independent artist. I've had many times where people and my loved ones have asked why I don't get a proper job but now I know that my hands were always meant to weave together our past and future, one bead at a time.' Show Comments ()
Filipino Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Pia Wurtzbach turns heads at Marcos' 4th SONA amid rumored rift with Heart Evangelista
Pia Wurtzbach surprised attendees at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) when she arrived at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday. The former Miss Universe, clad in an all-white modern terno, was seen waving to reporters as she entered with Py Caunan, the newly appointed administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Just last week, OWWA introduced Wurtzbach as its new ambassador. Based in Dubai since her marriage to travel entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey, she recently visited Saudi Arabia to meet with overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). She has been actively encouraging OFWs to secure their OWWA e-card for access to the agency's services and benefits. Her presence at this year's SONA quickly gained attention online, with many netizens commenting on her supposed rivalry with Heart Evangelista, a regular SONA attendee as the wife of Senate President Francis Escudero. Social media users speculated whether the two style icons crossed paths and began comparing their outfits. Evangelista previously denied having an issue with Wurtzbach, clarifying that she has 'never had a problem' with the beauty queen and even wished her 'nothing but the best.' Wurtzbach has also stated that she never intended to compete with anyone in the fashion scene, where Evangelista has long been a fixture.
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Miss Universe picks Omar Harfouch as Judge in Elite Panel led by Raul Rocha
With 130 countries sending their extraordinary representatives to this year's Miss Universe competition in Bangkok, the assignment of choosing one winner is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks of all. For this reason, Miss Universe President and owner Raul Rocha invited renowned concert pianist and composer Omar Harfouch to join the official panel of judges for the November event, according to Harfouch's story publication on Instagram. Since 1952, Miss Universe has been committed to excellence—not just in beauty, but in poise, intelligence, leadership, and empowerment. The winner is expected to meet all the expectations that come with the crown, including representing a new, forward-thinking standard of elegance combined with humanitarian responsibility. Because of this, the selection process demands a jury made up of individuals who live and breathe giftedness every single day. The decision was finalized during a meeting held on Raul Rocha's private yacht in Saint-Tropez, where both men were spending part of their summer. While the French Riviera welcomed its usual wave of A-list celebrities—namely the recently married Jeff Bezos, Leonardo DiCaprio, Adrien Brody, and many more—Raul and Omar focused on ensuring that the next Miss Universe exceeds the highest possible standards. Omar Harfouch, composer of the award-winning Concerto for Peace and a performer recognized the world over, has earned respect not only as a musician but also as a public figure who has staunchly advocated for global camaraderie through his myriad of masterful works. His presence in the pageant adds to the long list of highly qualified professionals who are sure to do an exceptional job in selecting the deserving titleholder. Judging a group of groundbreaking, brilliant, and charismatic women requires someone who can see beyond stage performance and pageantry—and Omar is up for the challenge.
