TaneaHeke
- Actor
Tanea Heke, MNZN, studied acting at Toi Whakaari Drama School in 1997, as a self-described "reasonably impressionable but mature student, with two kids and a student loan". She returned as the school's director 22 years later as a respected actor, theatre producer and arts administrator. Alongside her prolific theatre career, Heke's screen roles include acclaimed films Cousins, The Justice of Bunny King and Waru. No stranger to comedy, she has also appeared in TV series Wellington Paranormal and Not Even. Heke is the co-founder of theatre company Hāpai Productions, alongside the late Nancy Brunning.
Screenography
Awards
2022 Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
For services to the arts and Māori
2020 Ngā Taonga Toi a Te Waka Toi/ Te Waka Toi Awards (Creative New Zealand)
Ngā Tohu Hautūtanga Auaha Toi/ Making a Difference Award
“This is not for the faint-hearted. There are many rewards, but often not monetary. Personally, it’s the privilege of sharing work with my people and the resonance and connection that comes through the telling of our stories in our own way.”