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Extra.ie
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
50 years ago today: Remembering The Miami Showband Massacre
Historically, music had been an arena in which people moved freely, most of the time, beyond the dysfunctional, tired, old sectarian fault-lines. Gary Moore may have come from a so-called Protestant or Loyalist background in East Belfast, but that didn't matter a damn when he arrived in Dublin to join Skid Row, plugged in his Gibson Les Paul and made a glorious noise. Nor was religious affiliation of the slightest concern when Rory Gallagher moved to Belfast and based himself there, when his band Taste was starting to make real waves. Rory never lost that particular, non-sectarian rock 'n' roll faith. Throughout the 1970s – long after the Troubles had erupted, and violence on the part of the British State and paramilitary groups alike, saw people being butchered, maimed and brutalised on an appallingly regular basis – fans of Rory left any allegiances they might have been assumed to feel behind, as they travelled to the Ulster Hall to see the G-man in action. Music could be above all forms of sectarianism. Most of the time it was. It never occurred to me to see Van Morrison and his marvellous lyricism as anything other than Irish. In almost every respect, we felt closer to him; to the Portstewart guitar genius Henry McCullough; and to The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers, when their time came, than to the country, showband and cabaret crews who still dominated music in much of rural Ireland. Not that everything had been entirely rosy, far from it. In 'Down At The Border', the original Eyeless, a three-piece involving me, my brother Dermot, and Garry O Briain, had written a song about it. 'Down at the border,' it opened, 'We met a gunman on the loose/ Followed down by an English convict/ Just out of the calaboose/ Two rustlers, pig smugglers/ And a tourist or two/ And then there was me… and you.' Later in the song, the gunman shoots the convict 'over something that he said'. There really was a surreal aspect to it all, like a magic mushroom trip gone horribly, murderously wrong. And then, for musicians, it got far worse entirely. Illustration: David Rooney The brutal massacre of members of the Miami Showband, on July 31st, 1975, involved breaking a kind of sacred taboo, which had guaranteed musicians the freedom to travel across the border without fear of being ambushed. It poisoned the atmosphere and put an almost complete stop to local musicians from South of the border travelling North to play. I had a more visceral sense than most of what had happened. Eyeless, now featuring my brother Dermot, Neil Jordan, Pat Courtney and Bryan McCann, in a five-piece line-up, had travelled North in May that year, to support John Martyn in Queen's University, Belfast. My partner Mairin, pregnant with our first child at the time, was in the van too when we set out for home. A wrong turn took us into the vicinity of Keshfield at 1 am, and we experienced a scarifying brush with what can only have been loyalist paramilitaries. We were lucky to get to the benighted town of Portadown, where we stopped in the most open, visible location we could find, scrambling to find our bearings and chart a path back across to Newry. We made it, but it might have been a prelude to what happened to the Miami, who had been one of the most popular bands on the showband scene for the previous decade and more, a couple of months later. The van in which they were travelling was stopped on the way back to Dublin from a gig in Banbridge, close to the route we had travelled. Posing as British Army personnel, members of the illegal UVF, some of whom were also in the legal but irredeemably corrupt Ulster Defence Regiment, instructed the musicians to stand in line at the side of the road. The plan had been to carry out a fake inspection, covertly plant a bomb and send the musicians on their way. Some accounts say that the bomb would have detonated in Newry. Others think the plotters wanted the van to cross the border before it exploded. Fate – and the incompetence of the UVF – triggered events in an entirely different direction that night. While it was being installed under the driver's seat, the bomb went off, instantly killing two of the UVF members, Harris Boyle (22) and Wesley Somerville (34), whose bodies were blown to kingdom come, landing in blackened stumps across a wide area. Somerville's arm was found some 100 yards away from the scene, pathetically emblazoned with a tattoo that said 'UVF Portadown'. The members of the Miami were also blown away into the adjacent field, but they were still alive, one and all. The UVF thugs panicked, gave chase and shot dead three members of the Miami – lead singer Fran O'Toole, trumpeter Brian McCoy, and guitarist Tony Geraghty. They thought the others were dead too. The Miami – like most Irish professional bands at the time – were naturally and unselfconsciously anti-sectarian. There were two nominally Protestant musicians in the band, Ray Millar and Brian McCoy, both of whom were from Northern Ireland. Brian McCoy, in particular, was like a beacon of how music could potentially reach across every divide. From the small village and townland of Caledon in the south-east of County Tyrone, he was the son of the Grand Master of the Orange Lodge in the county. You couldn't get more traditionally Norn Iron Protestant. Brian had close relatives in the RUC. His brother-in-law had been a member of the discredited and ultimately disbanded B-Specials, an organisation of supremacist Protestant army reservists. In a different universe, he might have been on the other side of the encounter that night. Except that his devotion to music had liberated him… However you looked at it, Brian McCoy seemed like an unlikely target. And yet he was the first to die, hit in the back and neck by nine rounds from a Luger automatic pistol as he tried to make his escape. That was the mid-1970s. Two serving UDR 'soldiers', Thomas Crozier and James Roderick Shane McDowell, were found guilty of the murders and received life sentences. A third man, John James Somerville, a former UDA 'soldier', was later also found guilty of the murders. However, none of the three gave details of who else was involved or who had planned the attack. It has long been believed that there were elements of collusion involving the RUC and the British Army. A series of tit-for-tat killings was carried out by the IRA in response, possibly even including the murder of Eric Smyth, a brother-in-law of Brian McCoy, in 1994. That was the kind of country we had been living in: a nightmare, a twilight zone, in which no level of brutality was deemed impermissible and families could have their own gunned down ruthlessly by either side or both. The eruption of punk had lifted everyone, at least partially, out of the slough of despond into which the Miami massacre – a gruesome act of sickening butchery – had plunged us. As The Sex Pistols stormed the top of the UK charts in 1977, and The Clash became overtly political, all forms of authority were being questioned. For Belfast band Stiff Little Fingers, the Troubles became part of the subject matter – the band making it clear that they had no time whatsoever for the bores (their word) that were in charge. It is no harm to remember the incendiary force of what the song, 'Alternative Ulster', released as a single in October 1978, had to say. 'You got the Army on your street,' lead singer Jake Burns sang, 'And the RUC dog of repression/ Is barking at your feet/ Is this the kind of place you wanna live?/ Is this where you wanna be?/ Is this the only life we're gonna have?/ What we need is/ An alternative Ulster/ Alternative Ulster…'
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Delhi Confidential: Suitable space
A WEEK after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi conceded that the Congress 'fell short' of understanding the issues faced by OBCs, and that the party would work at 'double speed' for the community going forward, the OBC department of AICC has got an electric display board proclaiming the department and its headquarters. The design of the board has become a topic of discussion at the party office as it features symbols like the Ashoka Chakra and the Gandhian Charkha. The department is looking for a suitable space to install the board so it can grab maximum eyeballs. Taste Of Bengal TMC MPs are 'delighted' with a change of menu at the Parliament cafeterias. The reason: 'grilled Bhetki fish'. Sharing the 'good news', MPs of the West Bengal-based party said 'grilled Bhetki' was a welcome change at the Parliament cafeterias as so far only Basa fish was served, which most Bengali fish eaters found 'flavourless'. The rate of the Bhetki dish — `350 per plate — also meant TMC MPs could enjoy it at an 'affordable price'. Surprise Invite Uttar Pradesh Horticulture Minister (Independent Charge) Dinesh Pratap Singh has written to PM Narendra Modi, inviting him to lay the foundation stone of the International Potato Centre's (CIP) South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) in Agra. The letter has taken several officials at the Centre by surprise. The Union Cabinet had only approved the proposal to establish CSARC on June 25, and Singh sent the letter to the PM the very day. The minister extended the invitation even before the formal MoU between the Union Ministry of Agriculture and CIP was signed, and without any formal proposal yet from the UP Chief Minister's Office for such a ceremony, it is learnt.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
How Jenna Ortega became Gen Z's ultimate scream queen… from Johnny Depp rumours to ‘toxic' allegations & THAT sex scene
SHOWBIZ writer Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom. Last year, 11 Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom Credit: getty 11 Jenna as Wednesday Addams in Netflix hit Wednesday Credit: wednesday In 2024 alone, she starred in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, fronted campaigns for Dior Beauty and Neutrogena, and joined singer Sabrina Carpenter in her music video for summer's smash hit Taste. There was also that 'disturbing' viral sex scene alongside 53-year-old 'I got sick of myself,' she told Variety magazine. 'My face was everywhere.' Now, however, Jenna is back, with the highly anticipated second series of Wednesday hitting Netflix on August 6 – and that face is set to become more ubiquitous than ever. READ MORE ON JENNA ORTEGA A former child star, she was catapulted into the A list when Wednesday – viewed 252 million times and counting – launched in 2022. And by her own refreshingly candid admission, that rapid rise to the top was overwhelming. 'To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,' she told Harper's Bazaar in May. 'After the pressure, the attention – as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.' Most read in Celebrity 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was eye-opening' The eight-month shoot in Romania had been challenging, with Jenna revealing: 'I was alone. Never had any hot water. The boilers in two of my apartments were broken, so I always took cold showers.' To make matters worse, her original request to have a producer credit was rejected, and she alluded to tensions behind the scenes, describing her own behaviour as 'almost unprofessional', changing scripts without telling the writers if she felt aspects 'did not make sense for her character at all.' Most controversial sex scenes after THAT Jenna Ortega & Martin Freeman romp… including stars who 'had real sex on film' The comments drew her first taste of controversy, coming at a delicate time in the industry when the US writers' strike was in full swing. The backlash was swift, with writers on social media slamming her behaviour as 'entitled' and 'toxic'. 'I feel like being a bully is very popular right now,' she said. 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was incredibly eye-opening.' Fortunately, Jenna, 22, is not one to put up with being bullied. Forthright and tenacious, she has always shown herself to be determined, from convincing her parents to allow her to become an actress, to her recent struggles with Growing up in La Quinta, California, with her five siblings and parents of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, Jenna knew she wanted to become an actress at just six years old, after being inspired by Her mum Natalie, an ER nurse, has revealed that, only weeks earlier, Jenna had designs on becoming the first female US president, and before that had her sights set on going into space. So, initially, Natalie and Jenna's dad Edward, a sheriff, dismissed it as just another phase. Once they realised she was serious, it took three years to convince them that acting was a good idea. The kids grew up catching scorpions and even a rattlesnake to keep as pets. Yet her parents feared worse dangers lurked in Hollywood. 'Mom wasn't sure about putting me in this industry that she had heard such terrible things about,' Jenna said. But she pestered relentlessly. 11 Jenna with Sabrina Carpenter in the singer's Taste video Credit: instagram In 2010, Natalie posted a video recording of her then-seven-year-old daughter performing a monologue to Facebook 'as a joke', Jenna insists, and a casting agent got in touch. Reluctantly, Natalie relented because, as Jenna put it: 'She thought I might hold it against her for the rest of my life!' By the time she was nine, she had appeared in a Colgate advert, at 12 she had a recurring role as the young Jane in Netflix show Jane The Virgin and, aged 13, she had a main role in Disney comedy series Stuck In The Middle. Though it meant constantly travelling between her home and LA for castings and filming, she's said her mum 'watched over me like a hawk', and that: 'I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it, because you're putting a child in an adult workplace. Children aren't supposed to be working like that. They are supposed to be climbing trees and drawing and going to school.' 'Former child stars have a jaded way about us' Only allowed to take roles if she achieved straight-A grades, got plenty of sleep and socialised with school friends, Jenna remained in school to maintain a sense of normality. She was still just 17 when she filmed Netflix's serial killer drama You opposite Penn Badgley. But it was winning the role of Tara Carpenter in 2022's Scream that would set her on course to become Gen Z's scream queen, with roles in slasher film X and comedy horror American Carnage. Her horror credentials appealed to gothic film director Tim Burton, who was casting a new spin-off of The Addams Family. She jumped on a Zoom call with him while filming X in New Zealand, still drenched in stage blood and with a prosthetic bullet hole in her head, fittingly. Tim was blown away, and cast her as his title character Wednesday within five minutes, saying she had the character 'in her soul'. After wrapping that tough first season, Jenna intended to take time off and signed up to spend a summer working on a farm in Iceland. But when Tim presented her with the script for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, released last year, she shelved her plans. While filming the 2024 movie, she grew close to co-star and former fellow child star Winona Ryder. Likewise, she is also friends with She likens their unique shared experiences to having a 'secret little language' together, and says she and Winona can almost 'read each other's minds'. Jenna credits the pair as having helped her navigate the perils of fame. She told Harper's Bazaar: 'They've seen it all, and, honestly, during a much darker time in Hollywood. 'We've all got this jaded way about us that I don't think we'd have if we hadn't started so young and had so many brutal realisations and experiences. But they turned out all right.' They surely had plenty of advice when gossip swirled that she was secretly dating 62-year-old actor Johnny Depp (Winona's ex-boyfriend from the '90s). The pair have actually never met, but even her castmates on her recent film Death Of A Unicorn grilled her about it. 'I was on set with 'I laughed, because I don't know that person.' Johnny, too, released a statement saying he had 'no personal or professional relationship with Ms Ortega whatsoever', and called the claims 'malicious'. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine' Last year, Jenna told Vanity Fair that she would always seek to keep her private life private. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine,' she said. 'When you know too much about someone's personal life, then you watch films and you can only see them – there's nothing worse.' In 2018, she was linked to fellow Disney star Asher Angel, after the pair dressed as another famous couple, She never confirmed their relationship, but in 2023, Jenna told Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast: 'I was in a relationship for a couple of years, but I stopped it when things got too hectic. 11 With her parents Edward and Natalie Credit: Instagram 'And it had nothing to do with them. . . I just couldn't manage all the things.' Her career is going from strength to strength, and there is certainly plenty to manage. She plans to remake Single White Female with actress Taylor Russell, who previously dated Harry Styles. The fact that neither of them are 'white' has already drawn 'stupid comments', prompting Jenna to quip the pair might 'just call it Single Female'. The actress is proud of her heritage, and is intent on using her platform for good, as per her mum's insistence. She's spoken out against LA's immigration raids, and wants to be a positive role model for young Puerto Rican girls, which undoubtedly she already is. She has spent a decade working on her own movie script, has designs on being a recording artist, too, and is likely to break more Netflix streaming records when the second series of Wednesday is released in just over a week. Jenna really will have to just get used to seeing her face everywhere for the forseeable future. Jenna Ortega's seven most iconic roles 11 Jenna played eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in Netflix comedy series Jane the Virgin Jane The Virgin (2014) Jenna played the eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in the Netflix comedy series, appearing in 30 episodes from the age of 12. The role obviously struck a nerve with the actress, who later said: 'I really miss Jane!' 11 Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in Disney series Stuck In The Middle Credit: getty Stuck In The Middle (2016) Though she has five siblings of her own, in TV land Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in this Disney series. She said: 'I love the cast, the crew was amazing – everyone is so talented.' 11 Ortega in creepy Netflix thriller You Credit: you You (2019) In the second season of this creepy Netflix thriller, Jenna played 15-year-old Ellie, Joe Goldberg's new neighbour with a troubled background. She didn't return for any subsequent seasons, sadly. 11 Jenna as Tara Carpenter in Scream Scream (2022) A legacy sequel to the original film, released 25 years later, starred Jenna as high-schooler Tara Carpenter, who somehow manages to survive the ghostface killer – and the subsequent franchise films. 11 Wednesday is perhaps Jenna's most iconic role to date Credit: wednesday Wednesday (2022) With her gothy outfits, jet-black fringe and perfected glower, it feels like Jenna was born to play this role. Season one saw her break the internet with her macabre dancing, now known as the 'Wednesday dance'. 11 Jenna as Astrid and Winona Ryder as Lydia in Beatlejuice Beatlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) The much-longed-for sequel gave Jenna the chance to play Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). She later admitted she was scared of the original, but working on the new one was 'unbelievable'. 11 Jenna starred in dark comedy Death Of A Unicorn, alongside Paul Rudd and Will Poulter Death Of A Unicorn (2025) 'There's a good chance I won't get to work with unicorns again, so when you get the opportunity you do have to take it!' said Jenna of her role in this dark comedy, also starring
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
How Jenna Ortega became Gen Z's ultimate scream queen… from Johnny Depp rumours to ‘toxic' allegations & THAT sex scene
Scroll down for Jenna Ortega's seven most iconic roles, from a horror reboot to a role she played aged just 12 THE NEXT JEN How Jenna Ortega became Gen Z's ultimate scream queen… from Johnny Depp rumours to 'toxic' allegations & THAT sex scene Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOWBIZ writer Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom. Last year, Jenna Ortega said she was sick of the sight of her own face. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 11 Ashleigh Rainbird reveals how Wednesday star Jenna Ortega has dealt with her meteoric rise to superstardom Credit: getty 11 Jenna as Wednesday Addams in Netflix hit Wednesday Credit: wednesday In 2024 alone, she starred in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, fronted campaigns for Dior Beauty and Neutrogena, and joined singer Sabrina Carpenter in her music video for summer's smash hit Taste. There was also that 'disturbing' viral sex scene alongside 53-year-old Martin Freeman in thriller Miller's Girl. 'I got sick of myself,' she told Variety magazine. 'My face was everywhere.' Now, however, Jenna is back, with the highly anticipated second series of Wednesday hitting Netflix on August 6 – and that face is set to become more ubiquitous than ever. A former child star, she was catapulted into the A list when Wednesday – viewed 252 million times and counting – launched in 2022. And by her own refreshingly candid admission, that rapid rise to the top was overwhelming. 'To be quite frank, after the show and trying to figure everything out, I was an unhappy person,' she told Harper's Bazaar in May. 'After the pressure, the attention – as somebody who's quite introverted, that was so intense and so scary.' 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was eye-opening' The eight-month shoot in Romania had been challenging, with Jenna revealing: 'I was alone. Never had any hot water. The boilers in two of my apartments were broken, so I always took cold showers.' To make matters worse, her original request to have a producer credit was rejected, and she alluded to tensions behind the scenes, describing her own behaviour as 'almost unprofessional', changing scripts without telling the writers if she felt aspects 'did not make sense for her character at all.' Most controversial sex scenes after THAT Jenna Ortega & Martin Freeman romp… including stars who 'had real sex on film' The comments drew her first taste of controversy, coming at a delicate time in the industry when the US writers' strike was in full swing. The backlash was swift, with writers on social media slamming her behaviour as 'entitled' and 'toxic'. 'I feel like being a bully is very popular right now,' she said. 'Having been on the wrong side of the rumour mill was incredibly eye-opening.' Fortunately, Jenna, 22, is not one to put up with being bullied. Forthright and tenacious, she has always shown herself to be determined, from convincing her parents to allow her to become an actress, to her recent struggles with OCD that have seen her having to complete the same action many times and count things over and over in her head. Growing up in La Quinta, California, with her five siblings and parents of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, Jenna knew she wanted to become an actress at just six years old, after being inspired by Dakota Fanning in the 2004 Denzel Washington movie Man On Fire. Her mum Natalie, an ER nurse, has revealed that, only weeks earlier, Jenna had designs on becoming the first female US president, and before that had her sights set on going into space. So, initially, Natalie and Jenna's dad Edward, a sheriff, dismissed it as just another phase. Once they realised she was serious, it took three years to convince them that acting was a good idea. The kids grew up catching scorpions and even a rattlesnake to keep as pets. Yet her parents feared worse dangers lurked in Hollywood. 'Mom wasn't sure about putting me in this industry that she had heard such terrible things about,' Jenna said. But she pestered relentlessly. 11 Jenna with Sabrina Carpenter in the singer's Taste video Credit: instagram In 2010, Natalie posted a video recording of her then-seven-year-old daughter performing a monologue to Facebook 'as a joke', Jenna insists, and a casting agent got in touch. Reluctantly, Natalie relented because, as Jenna put it: 'She thought I might hold it against her for the rest of my life!' By the time she was nine, she had appeared in a Colgate advert, at 12 she had a recurring role as the young Jane in Netflix show Jane The Virgin and, aged 13, she had a main role in Disney comedy series Stuck In The Middle. Though it meant constantly travelling between her home and LA for castings and filming, she's said her mum 'watched over me like a hawk', and that: 'I see why my parents felt so hesitant about it, because you're putting a child in an adult workplace. Children aren't supposed to be working like that. They are supposed to be climbing trees and drawing and going to school.' 'Former child stars have a jaded way about us' Only allowed to take roles if she achieved straight-A grades, got plenty of sleep and socialised with school friends, Jenna remained in school to maintain a sense of normality. She was still just 17 when she filmed Netflix's serial killer drama You opposite Penn Badgley. But it was winning the role of Tara Carpenter in 2022's Scream that would set her on course to become Gen Z's scream queen, with roles in slasher film X and comedy horror American Carnage. Her horror credentials appealed to gothic film director Tim Burton, who was casting a new spin-off of The Addams Family. She jumped on a Zoom call with him while filming X in New Zealand, still drenched in stage blood and with a prosthetic bullet hole in her head, fittingly. Tim was blown away, and cast her as his title character Wednesday within five minutes, saying she had the character 'in her soul'. After wrapping that tough first season, Jenna intended to take time off and signed up to spend a summer working on a farm in Iceland. But when Tim presented her with the script for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, released last year, she shelved her plans. While filming the 2024 movie, she grew close to co-star and former fellow child star Winona Ryder. Likewise, she is also friends with Natalie Portman, after they met while filming The Gallerist. She likens their unique shared experiences to having a 'secret little language' together, and says she and Winona can almost 'read each other's minds'. Jenna credits the pair as having helped her navigate the perils of fame. She told Harper's Bazaar: 'They've seen it all, and, honestly, during a much darker time in Hollywood. 'We've all got this jaded way about us that I don't think we'd have if we hadn't started so young and had so many brutal realisations and experiences. But they turned out all right.' They surely had plenty of advice when gossip swirled that she was secretly dating 62-year-old actor Johnny Depp (Winona's ex-boyfriend from the '90s). The pair have actually never met, but even her castmates on her recent film Death Of A Unicorn grilled her about it. 'I was on set with Richard E Grant and he came up to me and said: 'Oh, so you and Johnny?'' she told Buzzfeed. 'I laughed, because I don't know that person.' Johnny, too, released a statement saying he had 'no personal or professional relationship with Ms Ortega whatsoever', and called the claims 'malicious'. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine' Last year, Jenna told Vanity Fair that she would always seek to keep her private life private. 'I don't plan on speaking about my love life publicly, because that's mine,' she said. 'When you know too much about someone's personal life, then you watch films and you can only see them – there's nothing worse.' In 2018, she was linked to fellow Disney star Asher Angel, after the pair dressed as another famous couple, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson, for Halloween. She never confirmed their relationship, but in 2023, Jenna told Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast: 'I was in a relationship for a couple of years, but I stopped it when things got too hectic. 11 With her parents Edward and Natalie Credit: Instagram 'And it had nothing to do with them. . . I just couldn't manage all the things.' Her career is going from strength to strength, and there is certainly plenty to manage. She plans to remake Single White Female with actress Taylor Russell, who previously dated Harry Styles. The fact that neither of them are 'white' has already drawn 'stupid comments', prompting Jenna to quip the pair might 'just call it Single Female'. The actress is proud of her heritage, and is intent on using her platform for good, as per her mum's insistence. She's spoken out against LA's immigration raids, and wants to be a positive role model for young Puerto Rican girls, which undoubtedly she already is. She has spent a decade working on her own movie script, has designs on being a recording artist, too, and is likely to break more Netflix streaming records when the second series of Wednesday is released in just over a week. Jenna really will have to just get used to seeing her face everywhere for the forseeable future. Jenna Ortega's seven most iconic roles 11 Jenna played eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in Netflix comedy series Jane the Virgin Jane The Virgin (2014) Jenna played the eight-year-old Jane Villanueva in the Netflix comedy series, appearing in 30 episodes from the age of 12. The role obviously struck a nerve with the actress, who later said: 'I really miss Jane!' 11 Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in Disney series Stuck In The Middle Credit: getty Stuck In The Middle (2016) Though she has five siblings of her own, in TV land Jenna played Harley, the fourth of seven siblings in this Disney series. She said: 'I love the cast, the crew was amazing – everyone is so talented.' 11 Ortega in creepy Netflix thriller You Credit: you You (2019) In the second season of this creepy Netflix thriller, Jenna played 15-year-old Ellie, Joe Goldberg's new neighbour with a troubled background. She didn't return for any subsequent seasons, sadly. 11 Jenna as Tara Carpenter in Scream Scream (2022) A legacy sequel to the original film, released 25 years later, starred Jenna as high-schooler Tara Carpenter, who somehow manages to survive the ghostface killer – and the subsequent franchise films. 11 Wednesday is perhaps Jenna's most iconic role to date Credit: wednesday Wednesday (2022) With her gothy outfits, jet-black fringe and perfected glower, it feels like Jenna was born to play this role. Season one saw her break the internet with her macabre dancing, now known as the 'Wednesday dance'. 11 Jenna as Astrid and Winona Ryder as Lydia in Beatlejuice Beatlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) The much-longed-for sequel gave Jenna the chance to play Astrid, the daughter of Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder). She later admitted she was scared of the original, but working on the new one was 'unbelievable'. 11 Jenna starred in dark comedy Death Of A Unicorn, alongside Paul Rudd and Will Poulter Death Of A Unicorn (2025) 'There's a good chance I won't get to work with unicorns again, so when you get the opportunity you do have to take it!' said Jenna of her role in this dark comedy, also starring Paul Rudd, Richard E Grant and Will Poulter.
South Wales Argus
5 days ago
- South Wales Argus
TripAdvisor's five best Indian restaurants in Newport
Three Mughals The Three Mughals (Image: Google) The Three Mughals is celebrated for its welcoming and cosy atmosphere, making it ideal for family meals and special occasions. The restaurant offers exceptional value, with generous portions and flavourful dishes, although some diners feel the service can be rushed. The food earns rave reviews for its rich flavours, though a few guests find some dishes too spicy. Despite long wait times, the staff's professionalism and politeness are often highlighted by visitors. Three Elephants (Image: Google / NQ) The Three Elephants is popular among diners for its inviting atmosphere, described by many as cosy and warm, thanks to its welcoming décor and relaxing vibe. The restaurant's flavourful and authentic Indian cuisine often earns high praise, with generous portions being a notable highlight, though some mention occasional consistency issues. Many guests commend the excellent value for money, and the service is frequently celebrated for its exceptional friendliness and attentiveness, with staff often going above and beyond to enhance the dining experience. Hatti Hatti (Image: Google) Hatti is an award-winning Indian restaurant, serving the finest Indian cuisine and providing the ultimate dining experience. One customer said: "Excellent service and delicious food. "The menu has a variety of options and is well-priced. "We will definitely be back soon." Another said: "Great curry house. "A lot of chains in Newport and that's fine but this independent is exactly what I look for. "Prices are good and choice is plentiful." Taste of Asia Taste of Asia (Image: Google) Taste Of Asia offers a unique, friendly, and relaxed atmosphere, unlike any other restaurant in Newport. One customer said: "In my opinion, this is the best Indian restaurant in Newport by far, and I've tried most of them. "The food is excellent, there were six of us on this visit, and we all ordered different dishes, mine was garlic chilli chicken, and everyone was very impressed with the quality, one friend who was visiting from out of town said it was the best curry he had ever had, and he's had a few. "The service is great, the staff are very friendly. "I couldn't recommend this restaurant highly enough." Another said: "Family of seven including one-year-old baby. "We had a lovely time, food was fantastic I would highly recommend this restaurant. "Thank you for looking after us. "We will see you again soon." Red Fort Caerleon Red Fort Caerleon (Image: Google) Red Fort Caerleon is popular among travellers for its warm, welcoming, and luxurious atmosphere. The service is generally praised for being friendly and efficient, though some guests have noted occasional timing issues with orders. The food earns rave reviews for its consistent quality, generous portions, and authentic menu, making it a culinary delight for many visitors. While some find it a bit pricey, the exceptional quality and portion sizes lead many to consider it a good value. These restaurants offer a delightful culinary experience for Indian food lovers in Newport.
