Hori Ahipene could perhaps be described as one of New Zealand’s more diverse actors, having played both male and female characters in TV comedies and dramas. In the 1990s Ahipene gained a loyal fan base by appearing in sketch shows Away Laughing, Skitz and Telly Laughs. Ahipene’s best-known gender-swapping roles were Mrs Semisi in Skitz and The Semisis, and Beverley Best in Māori Television sitcom/chat show B&B.
In this ScreenTalk interview, Ahipene talks about:
- 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
- The satisfaction of working with Māori crew on TV series Mataku
- Working with Te Radar on the sitcom/chat show B&B
- Learning acrobatic skills on the set of fantasy Maddigan’s Quest
- Playing transgender prostitute Angel in Outrageous Fortune
Interview Credit
Copyright
This video was first uploaded on 02 November 2009, and is available under this Creative Commons licence. This licence is limited to use of ScreenTalk interview footage only and does not apply to any video content and photographs from films, television, music videos, web series and commercials used in the interview.
