Photography: : Babiche Martens.
Shortland Street newbie Alex King knows that her surname has both helped and hindered her throughout her life. But taking on the role of Ferndale’s new doctor Izzy Dove, the star is not simply the daughter of comedian and mental health advocate Mike King – she’s creating her future on her own terms.
Alex’s entire whānau has watched her Shorty entrance.
“My whole family is incredibly proud of me,” the former Celebrity Treasure Island contestant and Mai FM radio presenter, 28, tells Woman’s Day, chatting to us on a break from filming.
As Shortland Street enters its Legacy era, fan favourites Rachel McKenna and Libby Jeffries have returned, while producers have also revealed that Alex’s character is the niece of Shorty legend Hone Ropata, played by Temuera Morrison.
“I can bring a lot of truth to Izzy,” says the actress.
“I know what it’s like to have a parent in the spotlight and be constantly compared to someone – to have people judge you instantly by your name. I know I’m in a privileged position with my family’s last name and I don’t take it for granted. “Izzy’s a pain in the arse, but she’s truly misunderstood. That’s where I can bring the truth to her in terms of having a family in turmoil.”
Building her own legacy
Time will tell how Alex crafts her own legacy.
She smiles, “I’m still a baby, so check back in with me in 30 years! But I’ve never been more passionate about a job or more dedicated and in love with what I’m doing. This is my purpose.”
Alex dressed herself for our photoshoot, sporting looks that she wears going out with her girlfriends.
Style as self-expression
She laughs, “If acting ever falls through, I feel that I could be a stylist.”
She has loved fashion since childhood.
“My friends always tell me I’m so dressed up and I’m like, ‘No, baby, you’re dressed down.’ “For a long time, I didn’t really know who I was. Growing up in a family of entertainers, it was a way I could express myself in the shadows. I’ve never been more comfortable in my own skin than I have this year, but expressing myself through fashion has never been something I do for someone else – I’m not dressing for the male or female gaze. If I look good, I know I’ll feel good.”
A deeper kind of work
Alex has made strides in her confidence thanks to therapy.
“My therapist told me the other day that, yes, I’m working a full-time job, but it also feels like I’m doing full-time study on myself – I’m trying to learn more about why I am the way I am.”
She’s also learning to ease up on judging herself and has started journalling daily.
Protecting her mental health
She explains, “This industry can feel judgmental and sometimes toxic, so being solid in who you are is fundamental to having good mental health. I know that if people don’t like me, at least I like me.”
Of approaching her thirties, she quips, “I’ve got two more good years left! I want to turn down the noise around me but turn up the volume inside myself. Not only for me, but for future children that I have.”
An open book (mostly)
She describes herself as an open book, though she keeps parts of herself behind closed doors, with her “hōhā” (annoying) side only surfacing around people she knows well.
“To me, hōhā means being cheeky and fun. I’m that little sister who just needs to shush! Once I feel confident and my walls start to drop, the more hōhā I am.”
Alex admits she was “a bit ignorant” when she started at Shorty. “I thought it would be easy, like, ‘Little old Shortland Street, how hard could it be?’ But coming here and seeing how many scenes we shoot, how long we’re on set and how many lines I’m saying has really given me a real appreciation of what it’s like. I was humbled quickly.”
Finding her feet at Shortland Street
Now she has overcome those initial challenges, Alex – who has Ngā puhi and Ngāti Whatua heritage – says her greatest joy is representing her Māori culture on primetime TV.
“I love coming into mahi to play a successful wahine Māori,” she grins.
“She’s a spoiled brat – and I admit I’ve been like Izzy in earlier stages of my life – but I like making space for my people and Māori who will come after me on screen. And I strive to continue to grow as my own person and a strong wahine myself.”
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