Words by Joshua Hendren
Varada Sethu stands on the verge of an extraordinary moment in her career, yet she remains as grounded as ever—wholly aware of how far she has come and excited about what might lie ahead.
The 32-year-old actor arrives onto the set of her ‘Something About Rocks’ shoot with an easy confidence, her energy as warm as the golden jewellery and luxury timepieces she’s about to be adorned in. Fresh off the buzz of ‘Andor’, the prequel series to ‘Star Wars’’ ‘Rogue One’, and gearing up for her debut as the latest ‘Doctor Who’ companion, she is on the brink of a career-defining moment, yet takes it all in her stride.
“I grew up loving action and adventure, ‘Star Wars’, ‘Indiana Jones’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, that whole genre,” she says, reflecting on the films that first stirred her imagination. “I never really saw many women of colour in those spaces, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get to be a part of it. But somehow, here I am.”
Born in India and raised in Newcastle, she carries a name that holds great personal significance, closely tied to her identity as a twin. “My name is Varada, and my sister’s name is Abhaya. They represent two aspects of the same goddess. Abhaya is the fearless, warrior side, and Varada is the generous, nurturing one, the giver of wealth. So that’s the meaning I’ve always known,” she explains. From an early age, she felt a strong connection to this duality. “I love being a ‘pair’ with someone, so being a twin is a core part of my identity,” she adds, underscoring how family bonds continue to shape her life choices.
Despite her warm demeanor, Sethu’s on-screen path has led her straight into some of the most dynamic franchises in entertainment. One of these is ‘Andor’, the ‘Star Wars’ series that pulls viewers into the earlier days of the rebellion against the Galactic Empire.
Having grown up enthralled by these adventures, she leapt at the chance to be part of that universe. “I even got to do my own stunt in ‘Andor’, which was very cool,” she says, describing the thrill of pushing herself physically in a large-scale production. With anticipation building for ‘Andor’’s second season, she “can’t say much about it yet, but it was a lot of fun. Being young, I want to grab every opportunity, if that means jumping out of a helicopter one day, then why not?” With a lighthearted laugh, she adds, “Insurance covered and everything, right?”
Her enthusiasm is palpable whenever she speaks of action. In fact, there’s a hint of incredulity in her voice, as if even she is astonished at finding herself at the centre of the sort of stories she once watched from afar. Though details of her ‘Andor’ stunt work remain under wraps, it’s clear she seized the moment to challenge herself.
Alongside ‘Andor’, Sethu is equally elated about her role in ‘Doctor Who’. While ‘Star Wars’ fans welcomed her into a longstanding saga, ‘Doctor Who’ devotees quickly discovered her involvement before it was even officially announced. “I was warned about it from the start, ‘Doctor Who’ fans are famously passionate,” she explains, recalling the early days of filming when secrecy was vital. “For the first month of filming, though, I was in a studio bubble and forgot about it all. Then we shot on location, photos leaked, and suddenly everything changed. Even taking the train home was different; sometimes someone might be waiting to say hello.”
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Photographs by Scarlett Casciello, creative direction by Tim Holloway, styling (jewellery) by Joshua Hendren, styling (fashion) by Kirsty Stewart, production manager Malcolm Mafara, 1st photo assistant Benjamin Hughes, 2nd photo assistant / digi Grace Tasselli, stylist assistants Katie M, Hallie M, Amelie M, makeup Mari Kuno, hair Sandra Hahnel at Caren using Oribe, nails Trish Lomax