Photography: Bernadette Peters.
At just 29, Ariāna Osborne is carving out a reputation as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new acting talents. She’s been captivating audiences in bold bilingual drama Tangata Pai, walking the red carpet at the Toronto Film Festival for her role in the gothic thriller Mārama and has held her own on screen alongside Rachel Griffiths in Madam, which last week nabbed her a nod for Best Supporting Actress at the New Zealand Screen Awards.
“I still feel like I’m finding my feet,” Ariāna admits.
“But I know how lucky I am to be doing the work I’m doing and I want to make the most of every opportunity.”
A legacy of dedication
Such passion and work ethic comes from her upbringing. Her dad is All Blacks legend Glen Osborne, who was known for his energy on and off the field in the mid-1990s. When Woman’s Day catches up with the pair at their family home in Whanganui, Ariāna has just returned from Taranaki, where she attended the Tangata Pai premiere with Glen, 54, and her mum Kylee, a former TV reporter.
“I’m very proud of her,” says Glen.
“She blew me away on the big screen. I’m a tough marker, but she’s got something special. It’s not just that she can act – it’s that she’s committed. She’s prepared to work hard and that’s what makes the difference.”
If anyone knows what commitment looks like, it’s Glen. After retiring from rugby, he became a policeman.
From rugby to role model
“I still wanted to be a role model when rugby finished,” he explains.
“Policing is not just about fighting crime – it’s about talking to people, helping them and inspiring rangatahi. I’ve been doing it nearly 10 years now and I love it.”
Rooted in culture and family
Ariāna, who is of Ngaāti Mutunga and Te Āti Haunui- a-Pāpārangi descent, credits her family with giving her the courage to pursue her dream.
“They’ve never put pressure on me,” she says.
“Instead, they’ve always backed me. Knowing they were there if I needed them gave me the confidence to take risks.”
That’s included learning new languages and living in different cultures, thanks to Glen’s rugby career taking the family to France and Japan.
Growing up across cultures
“I went to kindy and primary school in Japan, so it was my first written language,” she tells.
“I wouldn’t say I’m fluent now, but it’s better than my reo Māori. I want to learn more and get to a place of fluency.”
Knowing some reo was helpful for her role as Gen Z singer and activist Willa in Tangata Pai, where 30% of the dialogue is in Māori.
“Speaking te reo on screen was a challenge, but it also felt special,” she enthuses.
“It pushed me to a new level as an actor.”
Parental pride and perspective
Although Glen had “wanted her to be a physio – something stable”, he knows his daughter is achieving greatness.
“I’ll eat my hat – she’s done pretty well,” he laughs.
“Hopefully we see her on screen a lot more, but whatever it is, her mother and I are proud. We’ll support her 100%. Though we wouldn’t mind a few grandkids eventually!”
Discovering a love for acting
It was while in her final years of high school in Aotearoa that Ariāna discovered her love of acting after taking drama “almost on a whim”.
Following three years at Toi Whakaari, the New Zealand Drama School, she landed a role on Shortland Street as Demelza Jones, before her breakout turn as Tui in Madam. The show, now streaming on Netflix, saw her share the screen with seasoned stars such as Rachel Griffiths, Danielle Cormack and Martin Henderson.
“Rachel was awesome – super-committed and bold,” Ariāna tells.
“Danielle was another favourite – spontaneous, generous and giving me so much in our scenes, plus she’s got the best pants collection!”
But it was her recent experience walking the Toronto red carpet for her upcoming film Mārama that gave her a taste of the international limelight.
First time in Canada
“It was my first time in Canada and such an amazing experience,” she recalls.
“I saw The Rock [Dwayne Johnson] but left him alone! For me, the highlight was meeting other indigenous filmmakers.”
An introvert in the spotlight
Despite her growing profile, Ariāna describes herself as an introvert.
“When I’m acting, I’m focused on the job, not the attention,” she explains.
“But when it comes to publicity, that makes me anxious. Watching Dad interact with fans always looked easy – Kiwis still come up for a chat and a handshake – but for me, it’s a learning curve.”
Family at the heart
Family remains her constant. Though Tyson and Mako live all over the country, the Osbornes gather at home every Christmas. And between jobs, Ariāna leaves Auckland for Whanganui.
“It’s where I can just sleep, hang out and reset,” she says.
Tangata Pai screens 8.30pm Tuesdays on Three and streams on ThreeNow.
