Shirley Horrocks: Arts documentarian...
For more than two decades, Shirley Horrocks has been creating documentaries focussing on key figures from the New Zealand arts scene. Among her works are docos about photographer Marti Friedlander, artist Len Lye and playwright Roger Hall. She has also directed two science related films – Venus: A Quest and Paul Callaghan: Dancing with Atoms.
Angela Bloomfield: On being Rachel...
Angela Bloomfield made a splash on Shortland Street when she first joined the show as messed up teenager Rachel McKenna. Over her long stint on the series, her character has battled bulimia, survived a lightning strike and recovered from alcoholism. Once voted NZ’s sexiest TV star, she has acted in the films Bonjour Timothy and Peter Jackson’s The Frighteners, and appeared in the TV shows Ride with the Devil, and Dancing with the Stars. As well as acting, Bloomfield has directed episodes of Shortland Street, Jackson’s Wharf and Go Girls.
Theresa Healey: From Play School to Carmen...
Actor Theresa Healey first appeared on screen entertaining a generation of kids on Play School, having already supplied the voice for the show's famous opening. She won fame thanks to a five year stint as popular character Carmen Roberts on Shortland Street. Since then Healey has acted in a range of New Zealand TV dramas including Mercy Peak, Go Girls and Filthy Rich. She has also acted in films Jubilee, Savage Honeymoon and Vermilion.
Ray Woolf: From Pop-a-Long to King Kong...
Veteran entertainer Ray Woolf has appeared on television and film as a pop singer, song and dance man, TV host and actor. Starting out as a singer, Woolf made a splash on television in the swinging 60s music shows C’mon and Happen Inn. His career took an unusual direction when he turned up as co-host on the long-running children’s show Play School. Showing his versatility as a performer, Woolf also hosted his self-titled chat show The Ray Woolf Show, and has appeared in a number of TV dramas such as Xena, Marlin Bay, Street Legal, The Strip, and Nothing Trivial.
Teuila Blakely: Learning on the job...
Teuila Blakely began her TV career presenting C4’s live music show Freestyle, before landing an extended role on Shortland Street. Blakely has shown her versatility by appearing in comedy shows (bro’Town, RadiRadiRah and Funny Girls), dramatic series (This is Not My Life) and films (Sione’s Wedding and Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business). She also made a splash as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
Geraldine Brophy: Character actress...
Geraldine Brophy describes herself as a character actress, but her television and film roles have been very memorable ones. She played the lovable Moira Crombie in Shortland Street for four years, before moving on to roles in Serial Killers, The Insiders Guide to Love, and Outrageous Fortune. One of her favourite roles was playing the control freak bureaucrat Marion in Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby. More recently Brophy danced up a storm on Dancing with the Stars, and had a small but memorable part in Peter Jackson’s remake of King Kong. In 2008, she received a NZ Film and TV Award for best actress for her lead role in the feel-good feature film Second-Hand Wedding.
ScreenTalk Short: Theresa Healey
Actor Theresa Healey first appeared on screen as a presenter on Play School. She won a wider audience during five years playing Nurse Carmen Roberts on Shortland Street.
Leanne Pooley: Award-winning documentarian...
Canadian-born documentary filmmaker Leanne Pooley’s award-winning films have examined some of the most potent issues of New Zealand’s recent history - from euthanasia, to sport and politics, to controversial court verdicts. She has also sensitively paid tribute to some of our foremost artists - dancer Douglas Wright, and beloved comedians and singers The Topp Twins.
Simon Barnett: From What Now? to Dancing with the Stars…
Radio DJ Simon Barnett has also done his share of television — and the odd movie. His screen debut was as a presenter on long-running kids’ show What Now?. He went on to host a range of other series including Face the Music, Clash of the Codes, Wheel of Fortune and Sing Like a Superstar. In 2015 he won reality TV show Dancing with the Stars.
Jennifer Ludlam: Acting without makeup or shoes…
Award-winning actor Jennifer Ludlam has played a range of strong female characters in TV shows such as Cover Story, Gloss, and Undercover. She spent time in Australia appearing in a number of dramas including Prisoner and Sons and Daughters. Returning to New Zealand, Ludlam starred in Sima Urale’s feature film Apron Strings.