Profile
Location
Whangarei, New Zealand
Height
180 cm
Age Range
43–53
Ethnicity
Maori
Career Highlights
Rob is an award-winning stage and screen actor who has been receiving praise for his work since he burst on to the scene over 20 years ago. In 2001 he earned a Best Newcomer Chapman Tripp acting award, followed six years later with a Best New Playwright award. In 2005, he starred in Taika Watiti’s acclaimed short film Tama Tu, portraying the Māori Battalion in World War II. More recently, Rob starred in the praised play All Our Sons, written by Witi Ihimaeara. Other notable credits include series such as It Takes a Village, The Dead Lands and When We Go To War.
Awards.
| 2015 | Performance of the Year - All Our Sons | ||
| 2015 | Winner of Best Actor Award - Inc'd | ||
| 2014 | Winner-Best Actor in the Short Film INC'D, Wairoa Maori Film Festival | ||
| 2014 | Winner-Best Short Film INC'D, Wairoa Maori Film Festival | ||
| 2007 | Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards - Winner - Best New Playwright - Strange Resting Places | ||
| 2001 | Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards -Winner - Most Promising Newcomer - Have Car Will Travel | ||
Short Film.
| 2011 | The Lawn Mower Men Of Kapu | Blue Batch Dir. Libby Hakaraia | |
| 2011 | UpHill | Tim | Dir. Jackie Van Beek |
| 2004 | Tama Tu | Waika (Lead) | Aio Films/Defender Films Dir. Taika Cohen |
| 2002 | The Freezer | Rob | MF Films Dir. Paolo Rotondo |
Feature Film.
| 2007 | Bride Flight | Young Mozzie | New Holland Pictures Dir. Ben Sombogaart |
| 2002 | Aidiko Insane | Jobs (Pimp) | NZ Film Commission Dir. Adam Larkin |
| 1999 | A Night In | Voo Doo | Dir. Mike Wallace |
| 1999 | Speechless, Nurse | Dir. Graham Tuckett |
Television.
| 2018 | It Takes a Village | Ropata | Awa Films Dir. Tammy Davis |
| 2018 | The Dead Lands | Hako | Randolph TDL Limited Dir. Peter Meteherangi Taiko Burger, Michael Hurst |
| 2014 | When We Go to War | Maori Captain | Jump Film and TV Limited Dir. Peter Burger |
| 2011 | Nga Reo Hou-Strange Resting Places | Various | Eyeworks New Zealand Ltd/Black Inc Media Ltd Dir. Tearepa Kahi |
| 2011 | Purapurawhetu | Mata | Eyeworks New Zealand Ltd/Black Inc Media Dir. Rawiri Paratene & Michael Bennett |
| 2010 | Supercity TV3 | Tyler (Support) | Super Fumes Limited Dir. Tika Waititi |
| 2002 | Mataku Series 1 | Jock | Dir. Peter Burger |
| 2001 | Love Bites Series 1 | Jim | Kahukura Productions Dir. Robert Sarkies |
| 2000 | Questions | Minky | Communicado Dir. Ross Jennings |
| 1999 | Amazing Animals | Warrior & Kiwi | Night Owl Films |
| 1998 | Duggan | Robert | Gibson Group Productions |
Presenter.
| 2001 | Police Training Videos | Truck Driver/Officer | RNZPV Video Unit |
| 2001 | Police Training Videos | Officer | RNZPC Video Unit |
| 1999 | Inland Revenue CD Rom | Tony Hiles | |
| 1999 | Westpac Trust - Training Videos | 2d Films | |
| 1997 | Working for the Ministry | Govt Training Video Dir. Jim Greenhough |
Theatre.
| 2015 | All Our Sons | Waru Mataira | Taki Rua Productions Dir. Nathaniel Lees |
| 2014 | Strange Resting Places | Edinburgh Fringe Festival Dir. Rob Mokaraka & Paolo Rotondo | |
| 2012 | Awatea | Kani | Auckland Theatre Company Dir. Colin McColl |
| 2012 | Midsummers Night Dream | Mechanical/Fairy (Support) | Auckland Theatre Company - Maidment Theatre Dir. Colin McColl & Ben Crowder |
| 2011 | Strange Resting Places | Solider | Q Theatre Dir. Leo Gene Peters |
| 2010 | Purapurawhetu | Matawera | Dir. Cathy Downes |
| 2007 | Strange Resting Paces | National & International Festivals (NZ, Australia, Singapore, London, Pacific Islands) Dir. Leo Gene Peters | |
| 2007 | Strange Resting Places-NZ/Pacific Island/Australia | Taki Rua Productions Dir. Leo Gene Peters | |
| 2005 | Four Hangis & a Tangi | 10 Different Characters | Funny Business, Comedy Festival Dir. Kate Parker |
| 2005 | King & Country | Muru | National Tour Dir. Conrad Newport |
| 2004 | Goldie | Tuwharetoa Visitor 1 | Auckland Theatre Company Dir. Colin McColl |
| 2003 | Macbeth | Lennox | Pandemonium Productions Dir. Margaret Mary Hollins |
| 2001 | Have Car Will Travel | Bro | Taki Rua Productions Dir. Rachel House |
| 2001 | Insalt | Maka | Seeyd Company |
| 2000 | Never, Never | John | BATS Theatre, Wellington Dir. Emma Willis |
| 1999 | Kitchen Tables | Karl | Phoenix Theatre Dir. Glenda Tuaine |
| 1999 | Questions | Minky | Dir. Dra McKay |
| 1998 | Pied Piper | Dir. E Theatre(Director : Peter Wilson | |
| 1997 | Jellybean | Capital E Theatre Dir. Peter Wilson | |
| 1997 | Pains, More Concern | Phoenix Theatre Dir. Gregor Cameron | |
| 1997 | Work in Progress | Taki Rua Productions Dir. Vanessa Stacey | |
| 1996 | Godspell | Captain Bouganville Theatre Dir. Jim McMullen |
Voice.
| 2006 | Marshall Batteries | ||
| 2000 | Radio New Zealand/Plays/Short Stories | ||
| 1999 | Channel Z Radio Commercials | Station voice | |
| 1999 | Cola & Spree Radio | ||
| 1999 | Stooges Radio |
Training.
| Screen Acting Course - 1999 | |||
| Acting for Film and Television - 1998 | |||
| Capital E, Puppetry & Mask - 1998 | |||
| Toi Whakaari Masterclass - 1998, Freeing the Natural Voice | |||
| Diploma in Drama - 1995, Acting Major |