It’s been 20 years since actress Belinda Emmett tragically passed away after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, but her husband at the time, Rove McManus, keeps her memory alive by staying connected to her close-knit family.
“Rove and Belinda’s brother Shane especially are like brothers still,” a source tells New Idea.
“They actually call each other brothers.”
Our source adds, “Losing Belinda was devastating for both of them, but in a way, that shared heartbreak has brought them even closer over the years.”
What happened to Belinda Emmett?
Belinda was just 32 when she sadly died on November 11, 2006. She had married Rove less than two years prior, after dating for several years.
“Rove and Shane have a beautiful understanding of each other that few people could ever truly relate to,” our source adds.
“Belinda will always be the connection between them, but their bond is something really special in its own right. There’s a lot of love and loyalty there.”
Three years after losing Belinda, Rove, 52, married actress Tasma Walton and they share a daughter Ruby, 12.
Belinda’s parents, Michael and Laraine, also also spoke with New Idea about their bond with Rove and his daughter.
“Rove’s got his own wife and we respect that, but we stay close,” Michael said 10 years after his daughter passed.
“It’s nice to have the little ones around. We’ve got our own grandchildren and they’ve all grown. The oldest is at university, and you do miss those little children. So it’s lovely to have [Ruby] in our lives as well. It’s not in a huge way, but it’s pretty wonderful.”
In 2021, Shane spoke of his “effervescent” sister and spoke of how loved she was by all who knew her.
“It’s always difficult, when someone passes away so young, to make sense of it,” Shane said at the time.
“I still marvel that all this time later, when people realise I’m Belinda’s brother, they always want to talk about her – whether they knew her in real life or just on-screen.
“The impact she made in such a short time is nothing short of extraordinary. She packed an incredible amount into her life, and that’s the lesson I’ve learnt from her – live to the fullest and shine as brightly as you can, because you never know how long you’ll have.”
Who is Rove married to now?
Rove has been married to Tasma Walton since June 2009.
Tasma is an actress known for her work in The Twelve, Blue Heelers, Mystery Road, The Claremont Murders and Scrublands.
The couple tied the knot in an intimate beach wedding in Broome and are still going strong, though they prefer to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.
Tasma was the one who introduced Rove and Belinda to one another and recounted the moment to New Idea.
“We were all at a Fox Studios opening (in Sydney) and I had obviously worked with Rove on his show, (and) worked with Belinda, (and I) thought they would be an interesting couple and introduced them,” she said.
Ignoring tradition, Tasma popped the question to Rove with a painting and admitted that she called his mum in Perth to get her blessing beforehand.
“It was really really unromantic,” she joked on the Show + Tell podcast in 2015, before admitting that she never thought she’d get married.
“The fact that I had arrived at a place where I was certain that I wanted to do this, it made sense for me to initiate it. It was the first time I’d seriously considered children.”
Speaking to our sister publication The Australian Women’s Weekly in 2009, Tasma spoke of how Rove endured Belinda’s cruel death.
“The upbeat Rove you see is grounded on a base note that is deep and profound,” she said at the time. “He has strength and wisdom forged through experiences that required him to draw on a well of courage.”
