ScreenTalk

Actor Jim Moriarty cut his teeth on the early dramas Pukemanu and Close to Home, then went on to appear in a number of other TV projects such as Inside Straight and City Life. He has starred in films The Strength of Water, No Petrol No Diesel, and played Jesus in Saving Grace. As well as acting, Moriarty has directed in television and theatre, and works with at risk Māori youth. In this ScreenTalk, Moriarty talks about:

• How actors were allowed to help develop the scripts on Close to Home
• Incorporating political and social issues into the show
• Being thrown from a horse on the set of The Lie of the Land
• Making ‘love’ the central focus of playing Jesus in Saving Grace
• Being give the freedom to improvise while making The Waimate Conspiracy
• How the film No Petrol No Diesel gave at risk youth a chance of participating in the industry
• Having an emotional reaction to the story in The Strength of Water
• Not regretting turning down the role of Jake in Once Were Warriors

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Temuera Morrison is best known for one of New Zealand’s most graphic film performances: Jake Heke in Once Were Warriors. He reprised his role in the redemption sequel What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? Before the Warriors films, Morrison played Dr Hone Ropata in the long-running soap Shortland Street. He has appeared in a range of TV productions and a number of Hollywood films including the Star Wars franchise. His latest film Tracker was released in 2011.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Morrison talks about:

• Having a great time as a child actor on Rangi’s Catch
• Stumbling over medical terms in the scripts of Shortland Street
• Auditioning for a bit part on Once Were Warriors but eventually getting the lead
• Being aware of people’s doubts about whether he could play the role of Jake
• The intense physical work he undertook to create the character of Jake the Muss
• The intensity and brilliance of his co-star Rena Owen
• Feeling more comfortable in the role of Jake in the sequel What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
• Being nervous on the set of Star Wars, and the unreality of the sets
• The challenge and rewards of his latest film Tracker, a British co-production co-starring Ray Winstone

This video is available on YouTube to embed and distribute via a Creative Commons licence.

Actor Rena Owen came to international fame through her role as matriarch Beth Heke in the hard-hitting feature film, Once Were Warriors, based on the Alan Duff novel about a Māori family struggling with domestic violence, gang culture and urban alienation.

She is currently living and working in Los Angeles and and is developing an adaptation of the novel, Behind the Tattooed Face by Heretaunga Pat Baker. Behind the Tattooed Face was the first novel written by a Māori about pre-European Māori. Owen hopes to return to NZ to film it once the financing is in place.

Owen was back in New Zealand recently to work on Vincent Ward‘s Rain of the Children and Fiona Samuel’s upcoming TV drama, Piece of My Heart.

In this interview she talks with Clare O’Leary about:

• her beginnings in theatre as an actor and playwright;
• her many television drama roles and how she got her break on the landmark drama series, E Tipu E Rea;
• her role as Beth in Warriors;
• making a living as a Kiwi actor overseas;
• working on New Zealand stories (Behind the Tattooed Face, Piece of My Heart);
• the significance of working with Māori creative teams and crew.

Find out more about Rena Owen on NZ On Screen.

This interview is available to download and distribute in two parts (Part One and Part Two) on YouTube.

Credits: Direction and Interview – Clare O’Leary, Camera and Editing – Leo Guerchmann