Rawiri Paratene (Ngā Puhi) was the first Māori student to graduate from the New Zealand Drama School. Since then he has made an indelible mark on Aotearoa's screenscape. Paratene’s screen career began when he co-starred in 1970s sitcom Joe and Koro. He also hosted pre-school show Play School and is an acclaimed writer (Erua, Dead Certs). His movie roles include gang member Mulla in What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? and the memorably stern Koro in Whale Rider.

In this ScreenTalk interview, Paratene talks about:

• Creating a stir by portraying a realistic Māori accent in 1970s sitcom Joe and Koro
• Being asked to 'reign in' his performance while playing dead in The Governor
• How hosting iconic kids show Play School was a clever career move
• Fighting for Māori language and characters to be included in the show
• How ad-libbing boosted the role of Rangi in hit movie Footrot Flats: The Dog's (Tail) Tale
• Creating the back story for gang member Mulla in What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
• The experience of wearing Mulla's tattoos out in public
• How  his character Koro in Whale Rider was "foolish with his honesty"
• Working with director Niki Caro on one of the film's most unforgettable scenes