She now has an international acting career that has seen her filming in Mexico and shooting love scenes with Jason Momoa in Hawai’i, but when Te Ao o Hinepehinga Rauna made her first move into showbiz, leaving her home in Gisborne at age 18 to study musical theatre in Christchurch, she thought she was being “selfish”.
The Celebrity Treasure Island contestant, 26, says, “We went through a bit growing up and I became my siblings’ other parent, so it was the hardest thing having to leave. It felt selfish to pursue my dreams when I could’ve been there for my family instead.”
Just 15 when her pregnant mum Tania endured a messy split from her father, Te Ao took on some parenting duties to help out, although Tania encouraged her to fuel her creative passions. Having enjoyed performing while growing up and feeling inspired by Keisha Castle-Hughes in Whale Rider, Te Ao completed her university studies, then headed to Sydney to pursue a movie career.
From Shortland Street to Hollywood sets
Following a stint as a showgirl, she landed the role of nurse Waimarama Glover on Shortland Street and starred in local drama Head High, which saw her discovered by a US producer and whisked to Mexico to film TV series Breakwater. Then the actress – who is of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu descent – found herself starring with Jason in Chief Of War.
That role came with the weight of responsibility to accurately portray the indigenous Kānaka Maoli people of Hawai’i.
“It’s a massive gift to hand your history to someone who is not of your people,” she says.
“I was determined to make sure that I never misrepresented or misspoke.”
As for filming love scenes with Jason, Te Ao insists they were more awkward than steamy as the pair had developed a sibling-like bond.
“It’s weird because he’s my bro!” she laughs.
“I consider the man a brother and love him like family, so when people ask me about making out with him, I’ve blacked it out. I don’t want to think about it too much!”
That whānau connection meant the two naturally tested each other’s nerves.
Te Ao grins, “I’m sure I’ve pissed him off more than once. I like to prank him. We used to screw with each other behind the camera. There was this one very serious, emotional scene where he was so in the moment and I made him crack.”
Walking in their footsteps
The series also starred Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis, who both showed Te Ao how Māori actors abroad can “walk in a space that’s not familiar to us while staying true to ourselves and maintaining our tikanga [customs]”.
Another Māori actor who’s like a sibling to Te Ao is her Head High co-star and Treasure Island host Jayden Daniels. When she sees him, she feels “an uncontrollable urge to screw with him” – which makes things interesting as the pair reunite on the hit TVNZ 2 reality series.
The purpose behind the pressure
CTI was a gig she was initially reluctant to accept because she finds watching reality TV stressful enough as a viewer, however, having grown up witnessing “the worst of what life can look like in Aotearoa” due to family members who were social workers, Te Ao figured it would be a good way to raise money for children’s charity Unicef.
She also reckoned her East Coast upbringing, which saw her regularly fishing, diving and hunting, would be an advantage – and she could show off more of her personality on screen.
“I’m playing myself and that’s terrifying,” she admits.
“I’m an actor for a reason – I enjoy being other people – but now people are going to realise I’m not the badass they saw on Apple TV. I’m a clumsy weirdo!”
That self-deprecating nature, as well as her undeniable beauty, is what attracted Te Ao’s French partner Theo Poizat to her. They’re still going strong after eight years together and the actress is learning French so she can communicate with his family. It’s still too early to think about babies, but she’s a doting dog mum to their cute Australian shepherd Remy.
“My sisters are doing great jobs giving me nephews and my mother grandkids,” laughs Te Ao.
“I have lots of love, respect and admiration for people like Miriama McDowell who can juggle being an amazing mother and incredible actress. But I can barely juggle looking after myself and my career. I’ll wait until I figure that out before I throw anything else in the mix!”
