At age 18, Christchurch-born David de Lautour won a scholarship to train at New York's American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Since then De Lautour's globetrotting career has included recurring roles in New Zealand (TV's Being Eve, playing Eve's boyfriend Adam) and the US (sitcom What I Like About You, playing British boyfriend to one of the main characters). Back home, two Kiwi icons are on his resume: likeable career criminal Ted West in Westside,and All Black Stephen Donald in TV movie The Kick. De Lautour also has multiple credits as a director; in 2018 he co-created crime drama Alibi.
Being able to put on the All Blacks jersey is awesome, even if it is for a film [...] And Stephen is a well-liked guy who has worked his ass off and loves New Zealand, so I draw some parallels with him. I'm a proud New Zealander, passionate rugby fan and like to work hard. You don't always get the call-up, but be prepared for when you do. David de Lautour on playing All Black Stephen Donald in TV movie The Kick, The NZ Herald, 12 April 2014
Alibi
Undocumented
The Shickles
Cure Kids - Team Ball Player Thing
Westside
TV3 series Outrageous Fortune had six memorable six seasons. Award-winning prequel Westside takes the West family back to where it all began — to legendary safecracker Ted West (David de Lautour), and his fiery wife Rita (Antonia Prebble from Outrageous). Each episode of series one is set in a particular year of the 1970s. Season two moves to the 1981 Springbok Tour; the third, set in 1982, introduced a teen Cheryl West. Combining romance, crime and West family folklore with real life events, Westside was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang, the duo behind the original.
This is Why We're Single
Westside - First Episode
A prequel to classic TV3 series Outrageous Fortune, Westside travels back in time to meet young Rita (Antonia Prebble), Ted (David de Lautour) and their son Wolf West, on the make in West Auckland. This first episode opens with Ted leaving Mt Eden prison, then sets him on a safe-cracking plot that is aided by the 1974 Commonwealth Games. Prebble played Loretta West in Outrageous, and first took on the role of Rita in flashbacks from season four. Devised by Outrageous creators James Griffin and Rachel Lang, Westside won acclaim: "all the hallmarks of a classic", said Stuff.
Operation: Ice
Touch
The Kick
When the All Blacks beat France to win the 2011 Rugby World Cup final, it eased New Zealand's angst of more than 20 years without a title. It also created an unlikely hero in Stephen 'Beaver' Donald. A run of injuries led to a call-up for the fourth choice first five (he was whitebaiting when contacted). When Aaron Cruden was injured, Beaver came off the reserves bench and kicked a decisive penalty. Danny Mulheron's Moa award-nominated TV movie relives the reject-to-redemption fairytale. David de Lautour (Westside) plays Donald. This excerpt includes the kick itself.
Don't Blink
Izzy Girl
Hart of Dixie
Mom
A-Holes Anonymous
The Act Off
Wentworth
Beauty and the Beast (American TV series)
The Brightest Sunday
Once Upon a Time
Love, Serene
Blessed are they
NCIS: Los Angeles
Isosceles
Legend of the Seeker
Power Rangers Jungle Fury
The Amazing Extraordinary Friends
Created by superhero fan Stephen J Campbell, this light-hearted adventure series follows teen Ben Wilson (Carl Dixon) who discovers his father and grandad have done time as superheroes. Still getting to grips with the basics of being one himself, Ben enlists family and friends to help fight assorted villians. The show ran for three seasons, and spawned web series The Wired Chronicles and Origins. Nominated for awards in Rome and New Zealand, it picked up one in Korea. The eclectic cast included the tried (David McPhail) and the new (Hannah Marshall from Packed to the Rafters).
What I Like about You
NCIS
Being Eve
This quirky, upbeat comedy-drama looked at teen life through the eyes of 15-year-old Eve (Fleur Saville). Something of an amateur teen anthropologist, Eve questions everything in her world, musing on life to the camera. The series' fresh, self-aware style appealed directly to media-savvy teenagers. The TV3 series launched Saville's TV career, fostered young directing and producing talent, won many awards (including Best Drama Series at the 2002 NZ TV Awards) and was nominated for an International Emmy. It sold to over 40 territories, including the United States.
Being Eve - Being a Couple
Kiwi comedy-drama Being Eve "tacked the trails and tribulations of everyday adolescent life" (as website The Spinoff put it). It launched the career of Fleur Saville, starrig as amateur teen anthropologist Eve. In this excerpt from episode 10 of series one, Eve grapples with the day-to-day stuff of negotiating relationships (now that Matt is her boyfriend, does she have to sit next to him in every class?). Friends and family expose their relationship-challenging racial prejudices. Rated best drama at the 2002 NZ TV Awards, Being Eve was nominated for an International Emmy.