Anapela Polataivao Explained

Anapela Polataivao
Birth Place:Samoa
Nationality:New Zealander
Occupation:Actor, writer, director
Known For:Pani and Pani
Notable Works:Night Shift

Anapela Polataivao is a New Zealand actor, writer, and director of stage and screen.

Background

Polataivao was born in Samoa and has heritage from Vailoa, Vaiusu, Fagae'e and Safune.[1] She grew up in South Auckland.[2]

Career

Polataivao began acting as a child with her role at the age of eight. She was part of the Maidment Youth Theatre at the University of Auckland and in 2000 graduated from the New Zealand drama school Toi Whakaari with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting).[3]

In 2002 she formed the theatre group Kila Kokonut Krew with Vela Manusaute. Together they created the musical The Factory which became a web series in 2014.[4] The show toured throughout Australia and had a five-week run at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[5]

With Goretti Chadwick Polataivao created the comedy duo Pani and Pani. They also created and present the Māori Television show, Game of Bros.[6]

Polataivao worked as acting tutor at PIPA (Pacific Institute of Performing Arts) until PIPA closed at the end of 2017 when the BEST Pacific Institute of Education went into liquidation.[7]

A theatre play directed by Polataivao, Wild Dogs Under My Skirt by Tusiata Avia was re-worked in 2016 from a solo to an ensemble cast creating an award-winning production that went on to be presented at the New Zealand Festival in 2018, a national New Zealand tour in 2019 and at the SoHo Playhouse in New York off-Broadway in January 2020.[8] [9] [10] [11]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Tala Pasifika Actress – LosaTelevision
2005The MarketActress – Ina LimaTelevision
2006–2007KTVWriter, producer Television
2009The CultActress – Motel OwnerTelevision
2010EruptionActress – AnaTelevision
2011–currentFreshActress – PaniTelevision
2012Night ShiftActress – SaloteShort film
2013The FactoryExecutive Producer, Original Writer, Actress – LilyWeb, episode 1–10
2016–currentGame of BrosCreator, presenterTelevision, episode 1
2016One Thousand RopesActorFilm
2023Our Flag Means DeathActor – AuntieTelevision, Season 2, episodes 1-8
2023Shortland StreetActor – Hanalei To'aTelevision, Guest Role December

Theatre

Honours and awards

In the 2006 Air New Zealand Screen Awards she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Market.[13]

For her role in Night Shift Polataivao won Best Actress at the 2013 24fps International Short Film Festival in Texas[14] and the StarNow Best Actor award at the 2012 Show Me Shorts Film Festival.[15]

With Vela Manusaute, she received the New Generation Award for theatre at the 2014 Arts Foundation Awards.[16] [17]

Theatre directing awards include Best Director at the Auckland Theatre Awards in 2016 for the Wild Dogs Under My Skirt by Tusiata Avia. Auckland Fringe Festival Best Director award (2015) for Girl on a Corner by Victor Rodger.[18]

In 2019 she won the Contemporary Pacific Art Award at the Arts Pasifika Awards.[19]

In the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours, Polataivao was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Pacific performing arts.[20]

Notes and References

  1. News: Anapela Polataivao. 26 September 2015. The Arts Foundation. 28 November 2017.
  2. Web site: Anapela Polataivao. NZ On Screen. en. 28 November 2017.
  3. Web site: Graduate. 2021-08-09. www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz.
  4. Web site: About. The Factory Story. 28 November 2017.
  5. News: Edinburgh festival 2014 review: The Factory – High School Musical with Polynesian vibes. Gardner. Lyn. 20 August 2014. The Guardian. 28 November 2017. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  6. News: Game of Bros. Māori Television. 28 November 2017. en.
  7. Web site: Vui-Talitu. Sara. 6 December 2017. Pacific students bewildered, out of pocket. 23 December 2020. RNZ. en-nz.
  8. Web site: WILD DOGS UNDER MY SKIRT – Ensemble work both beautiful and formidable. 23 December 2020. TheatreView.
  9. News: Christian. Dionne. Behind the scenes: Poet Tusiata Avia on Wild Dogs run. 23 December 2020. .
  10. Web site: Wild Dogs Under My Skirt. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223231401/https://www.sohoplayhouse.com/soho-playhouse-events/wilddogs1. 23 December 2020. 23 December 2020. SOHO PLAYHOUSE. en-US.
  11. Web site: Mandell. Jonathan. 8 January 2020. Wild Dogs Under My Skirt Review: When the Rainbow is Enuf in New Zealand. 23 December 2020. New York Theater. en-US.
  12. Web site: Delilkan. Sharu. REVIEW: Taro King (Kila Kokonut Krew). 23 December 2020. Theatre Scenes: Auckland Theatre Blog. en-US.
  13. Web site: Finalists for The Air New Zealand Screen Awards. 28 November 2017. Scoop.
  14. Web site: 2013 Winners. 24fps International Short Film Festival. 28 November 2017. 10 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170310220236/http://24fpsfest.com/winners/2013-winners. dead.
  15. Web site: 2012 Award Winners. Show Me Shorts Film Festival. en-US. 28 November 2017.
  16. News: New Generation Awards. 26 September 2015. The Arts Foundation. 28 November 2017.
  17. Web site: 2014 Westpac New Zealand Arts Awards recipients announced. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. en. 28 November 2017.
  18. Web site: Anapela Polataivao. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223230127/https://www.thearts.co.nz/artists/anapela-polataivao. 23 December 2020. 23 December 2020. Arts Foundation. en-NZ.
  19. Web site: 7 October 2019. Outstanding Pasifika artists to be celebrated at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards 2019 . 3 June 2021. Creative New Zealand.
  20. News: King’s Birthday Honours 2024: The full list of all recipients . 3 June 2024 . . 3 June 2024.