Latest news with #NationalYouthTheatre
Euronews
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Happy 80th Birthday Helen Mirren! Celebrating an incredible career
Dame Helen Mirren knows a thing or two about wearing a crown. Over her six-decade career, she graced our stages and screens with her regal portrayals of powerful, complex women, from Cleopatra to Elizabeth II and Catherine the Great of Russia. She is also the only actor to have portrayed both Queens Elizabeth on screen. Helen Mirren turns 80 this Saturday. For her milestone birthday, Euronews Culture looks back at the memorable roles of a British acting royalty. Helen Mirren was born lyena Lydia Mironov in London in 1945, to a Russian-born father and Scottish mother. The family chose to anglicise their surname to Mirren in the early 1950s. She began her career on stage, joining Britain's National Youth Theatre at 18. There, she distinguished herself playing the Queen of Egypt in 'Antony and Cleopatra', a role she reprised in 1998 opposite Alan Rickman at the National Theatre. A year later, she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she remained for 15 years. From the stage to the screen Mirren got her first major film role in Michael Powell's 1969 romantic comedy-drama The Age of Consent. She later gained further recognition for her parts as an emperor's wife in the 1979 erotic drama Caligula, a gangster's girlfriend in The Long Good Friday and Morgana le Fay in Excalibur. She earned her first Academy Award nomination for her role as Queen Charlotte in the 1994 film The Madness of King George. The actor married American director Taylor Hackford in 1997, 22 years after they met on the set of his musical drama White Nights. It was not until the early 2000s that Helen Mirren truly reached global stardom. She captured the public's hearts and minds with her leading role in British police TV series Prime Suspect. During her 15 years as Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison, Mirren created 'the template for complex and compelling on-screen female characters in every genre', the Guardian wrote in 2020. With success came always more honours and accolades. She won three BAFTA TV awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards for her part in Prime Suspect. Queen Elizabeth II made her a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2003. Three years later, Mirren stepped into the shoes of the United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch in Stephen Frears' drama The Queen. Her nuanced portrayal of the sovereign in the weeks following Princess Diana's death won her an Academy Award for Best Actress. Defying stereotypes Helen Mirren has earned a reputation for her elegance and wildness. Often described as a sex symbol in her youth, she said she never applied the label to herself. In recent years, she has defied stereotypes against older women, becoming the face of L'Oréal at 69 years old in 2014. Mirren has also publicly embraced feminism. 'When I was growing up, it was thought to be unbelievably sluttish to even have a bra strap showing. Everything was about women conforming', she told the Telegraph in 2016. 'I love shameless women. Shameless and proud!' Unafraid of challenges, she kept on pursuing diverse, sometimes unexpected roles. She was Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the 2023 film Golda, a ruthless crime boss in TV series Mobland, and even Kendrick Lamar's therapist in his 2022 'Count Me Out' music video. Happy Birthday Helen Mirren!
Graziadaily
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Why Lucy Punch Decided To Face Her Fears On Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters
Lucy Punch's acting career has taken her from the school corridors of St Trinian's to her maisonette in SoHa (south Harlesden) in Amandaland to 'the shark capital of the world' with ITV. Despite often being cast as snooty, posh characters who think getting the bus is below them, the real life Lucy was brave enough to submerge herself in shark infested waters in the name of entertainment on Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters. With an impressive list of credits up her sleeve, here's everything you need to know about Lucy, including the noughties films you may have seen her in before. Lucy Punch is an English actress from Hammersmith in London. She performed with the National Youth Theatre between 1993 and 1997 and then enrolled at University College London before dropping out to pursue acting. She is perhaps best known for her role as Amanda in Sharon Horgan's hit series Motherland , which earned her a spin-off show called Amandaland which launched in February this year. Lucy is 47 years old. She was born on 30 December 1977. Lucy has starred in everything from the Woody Allen film Into the Woods to A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix, Bad Teacher and the How to Build a Girl series where she played Sylvia Plath. Speaking about her triumphant role as Amanda in Motherland and Amandaland, Lucy said, 'I've always thought of Amanda as an arrested teenager. She's a mean girl. Now it's almost like she's coming of age, growing up a bit, having to make friends, having to try.' Of course, Lucy's most recent project took her to the Bahamas to conquer her fear of sharks. 'We really are right in the middle of nowhere in the sea on our own with a load of sharks but I'm hoping when Tristin comes he's going to reassure us about what we are doing and that it's safer than it looks,' she said in the first episode. She is joined on the new show by Helen George, Ade Adepitan, Rachel Riley, Dougie Poynter, Lenny Henry and Ross Noble. Lucy has reportedly been with her partner Dinos Chapman since 2014 and they live together in LA. Dinos is one half of the visual art duo The Chapman Brothers. He has two daughters from his previous marriage to Tiphaine de Lussy. While Lucy has two sons aged nine and three. No, Lucy is notoriously private about her personal life and does not have social media. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters is on Mondays on ITV1 at 9pm or you can stream the entire series on ITVX. Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).
India.com
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is Charithra Chandran, the British-Indian actress who stole the limelight at Wimbledon? She was seen in...
Who is Charithra Chandran, the British-Indian actress who stole the limelight at Wimbledon? She was seen in... In the glitzy and glamorous world of showbiz, where so many celebrities come and go, some celebrities steal the spotlight like no other and sometimes even outshine seasoned actors. One such example is a British Indian actress whose recent appearance at Wimbledon made headlines like no other. At a place where all eyes were supposed to be on Hollywood A-listers Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro, it was this actress who made waves. Charithra Chandran – A Sensation The actress that we are talking about is none other than Charithra Chandran. Clad in a Ralph Lauren ensemble, her tresses were inspired by Edwina. Her appearance at Wimbledon quickly created a buzz on social media, with netizens calling her one of the most captivating personalities of the tournament. Charithra Chandran's Early Life and More Speaking of her early life, Charithra was born in Perth, Scotland, to Indian Tamil medical professionals. At the age of just two, her life saw a bit of movement as her parents decided to part ways and get separated. She spent her initial years of life with her father in Tamil Nadu, and at 4, she moved to the UK. She attended school in Liverpool and later boarded at Moreton Hall Preparatory School in Suffolk, and eventually got settled in Oxford with her mother while her father was still in Wales. Besides her good academic skills, Charithra also took part in her extracurricular activities like county-level hockey, netball, and school plays. Charithra Chandran's Education and Passion Speaking of academics, she was a performer there as well. Charithra studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford's New College. She balanced this with participating in university plays and being active in the National Youth Theatre. She completed her graduation in 2019, after which she also worked part-time at the New Policy Institute for a short time. But it was her passion for acting that redirected her calling, and she ended up being an actor and also appeared in Amazon's Alex Rider series. Charithra Chandran's Breakthrough Moment However, her breakthrough happened when she appeared in the role of Edwina Sharma in Bridgerton Season 2. She was featured alongside Simone Ashley, who portrayed the role of her older sister. Her strong screen presence and alluring personality quickly rose her to fame, and she became a fan favourite in no time. Her last appearance was in Netflix's One Piece as Miss Wednesday, where she plays the role of a secret agent in the Baroque Works organisation. Today, Chandran is making waves not just for her on-screen roles but her captivating personality and grace off-screen.
Irish Times
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘Jonathan Anderson shows passion - not CAO points - is what matters'
Growing up, says Jonathan Anderson, the idea of becoming a fashion designer seemed far-fetched. 'I remember at school the list of careers was a doctor, a dentist or a lawyer. Becoming an actor or a designer felt like you would be going into a line of poverty,' he told the Gloss a few years ago. His scenic route into fashion took him via the National Youth Theatre, into drama school in Washington until he returned home and got a job at Brown Thomas in Dublin as a merchandiser for Prada. Irish designer Jonathan Anderson appears on the catwalk during the Paris Fashion Week. The Derryman was recently named as creative director of both men's and women's couture at Christian Dior, one of the world's most prestigious fashion houses. He is the first person since Dior himself to steer both couture lines at the same time. READ MORE As Leaving Certs complete their final exams, it can be a powerful and sometimes overwhelming moment of transition. Anderson shows you don't need to have it all figured out. Choosing passion over pressure to conform is a useful life lesson. CAO courses do not have to be the be-all and end-all. A passion for what make you tick and gives you a sense of purpose is key. This week, we'll be exploring the various pathways for schools leavers – PLCs, apprenticeships, traineeships, tertiary degrees and the CAO; there are genuinely are more pathways than ever for students to explore. Further education Learning styles at third level are very different from those associated with the traditional Leaving Cert. One in five students do not progress to second year of college – and the numbers dropping out are on the rise. Yet, students who opt to apply for a one year further education level five programme in their local Education Training Board (ETB) college in the area are, in many ways, doubly advantaged. If they secure sufficiently high grades in their Post Leaving Cert (PLC) course, they may well be offered a place in their preferred CAO course irrespective of the Leaving Cert points score they previously secured. Secondly, their experience of acquiring self-directed learning skills in small class groups can help them successfully make the transition to the learning style required to succeed at our third level. (In fact, dropout rates among college students who completed PLC courses are lower than students entering via the traditional CAO round one route.) Check the Further Education Course Hub (Fetch courses) to expand students' horizons. Places are allocated by each individual college and applications are available online on each of their websites. There is no deadline, but all places are allocated on a first come first served basis, based on suitability. Exams It was a quiet day on the Leaving Cert front with Mandarin Chinese and agricultural science among the subjects examined on Monday. Both had challenging moments, say teachers, but provided a fair test overall. Up tomorrow for Leaving Certs it's Spanish (9.30-12.30pm) and Chemistry (2-5pm). Meanwhile, we'll be back tomorrow with a look at one of the best-kept secrets of the education world: tertiary degrees.
Scoop
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
From Seussical To Self-Belief – Celebrating 20 Years Of Kids Shining Onstage
On 27 June, 250 of Tāmaki Makaurau's young performers – from first-timers to seasoned stars – will take to the stage for opening night of the LITTLE UMBRELLA production of Seussical. When the curtain goes up it will mark 20 years of National Youth Theatre (NYT) – a moment not just of celebration, but of reconnection. 'In a world dominated by screens these young performers are stepping out of the digital world and into the spotlight, reminding us of the power of real-life connection, creativity, and shared experiences that screens cannot replicate,' says James Doy MNZM, NYT Chief Executive. 'For the audience it's a chance to witness the energy, courage, and creativity of our wonderful young performers.' Seussical invites audiences to see all your Seussian tales wrapped up into an amazing musical for the whole family - a crazy blend of Horton Hears A Who and The Cat in the Hat, with shout outs to just about every other Seuss book imaginable. These beloved characters and stories weave together in a whimsical and wacky musical extravaganza, played out against an uplifting score from Tony winners Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens, highlighting the show's universal messages of love and acceptance - reminding us all that "a person's a person, no matter how small." Seussical is the third show with NYT for 19 year old Jackson Terry, who is playing Horton the Elephant. 'Horton is shy but very caring and compassionate fellow and he cares a lot more about other people's misfortunes than his own and sometimes it gets him in trouble,' Jackson says. Originally from Whangārei, he says theatre helped him find his place in the world. 'Growing up it is hard to know where you fit in in society, I played sports growing up but I never really found my thing, my people. For me musical theatre is a really nice way to find where you fit in.' Playing the iconic Cat in the Hat is 16 year old Jordan Ria D'Mello, in what will be her 18th show with NYC 'The Cat in the Hat brings a lot of mischief and causes a lot of trouble in the show,' Jordan says. She's confident and vibrant in her role, but this wasn't always the case. 'I was four years old and watching the shows and I would be mesmerised, so I started as soon as I could. When I first started I was very shy and I found it very scary, but it helped me build my confidence and break out of my shell.' For more than two decades, National Youth Theatre, a registered charity, has helped over 10,000 rangatahi and tāmariki across Aotearoa discover their voice through musical theatre - building confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills that stretch far beyond the stage. 'We're incredibly proud of what this team achieves,' says James Doy. 'Watching our young performers grow in confidence, take on bigger roles, and eventually step into leadership positions behind the scenes is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.' NYT's all-access programme welcomes everyone, with no auditions required and over 200 cast members vying for lead roles. With backing from LITTLE UMBRELLA and Auckland Live, the production also supports youth employment in backstage and technical roles, reinforcing the theatre's deep roots in the community. The cast are urging people to buy tickets and support this one-of-a-kind celebration – which perfect for families and schools. 'Come along and reconnect with the magic of live performance,' Jordan says. 'All the practice and rehearsing we have done, we bring our all. The moment you step on stage you can feel the audience's energy, you want to give your best.' Performance: Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland · Friday, 27 June, 7:00 PM · Saturday, 28 June, 1:30 PM & 7:00 PM · Sunday, 29 June, 1:30 PM · Tickets: $35.00 –$65.00 (plus fees), Ticketmaster
