ScreenTalk » semisis http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com TV and Film Industry Interviews Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:16:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Hori Ahipene – Queen of the Screen http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com/interviews/hori-ahipene-queen-of-the-screen http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com/interviews/hori-ahipene-queen-of-the-screen#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:20:38 +0000 Screen Talker http://screentalk.nzonscreen.com/?p=149 Hori Ahipene could perhaps be described as New Zealand’s most ‘diverse’ actor, having played both male and female characters in TV comedies and dramas.

In the 90s Ahipene gained a loyal fan base by appearing in the TV sketch shows Away Laughing, Skitz and Telly Laughs. Two of Ahipene’s popular gender-swapping roles were Mrs Semisi in Skitz and The Semesis, and Beverley Best in the Maori Television sitcom/chat show B&B. Ahipene has also appeared in TV dramas such as Maddigan’s Quest, Mataku, and Shortland Street. In 2009, Ahipene returned to wearing a frock on screen playing ‘Angel’ – a transgender prostitute in Outrageous Fortune. Ahipene’s film credits include Jubilee and The Piano.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Ahipene discusses:

  • His love of Skitz and the chance it gave him to become a director
  • Why hosting the 1998 Hero Parade terrified him
  • Dedicating his role in Jubilee to the memory of his father
  • How satisfying it was to work with Māori crew on the TV series Mataku
  • Working with Te Radar on the sitcom/chat show B&B
  • Learning acrobatic skills on the set of Maddigan’s Quest
  • And playing a transgender hooker in Outrageous Fortune

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

Credits: Interview, Camera & Editing – Andrew Whiteside

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