When Woman’s Day catches up with Shavaughn Ruakere, she’s just returned home to Auckland from visiting her whānau in New Plymouth, where she also walked the red carpet for her new show Tangata Pai.
Not only was the Taranaki trip a chance to have precious “hang time” with her mum Anne, but it was also a thrill for the actress, 47, to have her loved ones experience the excitement of a premiere.
Shavaughn smiles, “During the evening, the first two episodes were screened and, at one point, Mum turned to say, ‘You’ve really matured as an actor.’ I feel like my age and life experience have all really played into this performance.”
Early acting lessons
Anne’s reflection took Shavaughn – who is of Taranaki and Te Āti Awa descent – back to when she was a youngster doing a course in the Meisner technique, which teaches performers how to respond to the environment around them.
“The tutor said it took 20 years to become a great actor – now I understand what he was talking about,” says the former Shortland Street and What Now star, who’s been gracing our screens for 30 years.
Life experiences that shaped her performance
“As you get older, you have life experience that you can really draw on.”
In Tangata Pai, an eight-episode bilingual drama, of which 30% is in te reo Māori, Shavaughn’s character Hinewai Smith is the mum of two teenage boys – something she can relate to as a stepmother
to her partner Trevor Rooderkerk’s three kids.
Parenting insight
“I now have a better understanding of what it takes to raise children and how to navigate those family dynamics, so I was able to carry that into this role,” she says.
“We have one who is a teenager now and it reminds me of all the things that I put my parents through. My mum was pretty strict growing up and I can see that coming through in me.”
A family of health professionals
Being raised by a doctor and a nurse has also made her hyper- aware of her family’s health.
Shavaughn explains, “As kids, we were taught to always be really safety-conscious. That’s how I am with my stepkids too. In fact, my partner calls me his first safety officer!”
Her parents’ medical background came in handy for her role in Tangata Pai, in which Shavaughn’s character is a nurse at Taranaki Base Hospital, where Anne also worked “before I was a twinkle in her eye”.
Shavaughn says, “Nurses are very caring people and that’s my mum all over.”
Remembering her father
Meanwhile, her late father Dr Tony Ruakere spent his final days at the same hospital in 2019.
Shavaughn says, “I remember that when dad was there, the nurses stood out for their compassion and understanding of what we were going through.”
A strong bond with her mother
These days, Anne, 81, experiences tremors, so she feels safer in a wheelchair, but it didn’t stop her laughing and joking about during our Taranaki photoshoot, where it was obvious she and her daughter share a deep bond.
“My mum always makes me feel warm and totally loved,” Shavaughn tells.
“Every second of my life, I’ve known that my parents love me completely.”
She may head straight to the fridge when visiting, but the family’s dining table brings back her favourite memories.
Family traditions at the table
She shares, “It’s the same one that my parents have had for 50 years. Mum and Dad were very keen on us sitting down to eat together. The experience of sharing kai is really grounding for me.”
Another way she reconnects with her roots when she returns to Taranaki is to visit her sister’s farm, where she walks down to the river to do a blessing for her beloved dad, her late best friend Helena McAlpine, her much-missed dog Paua and others who have sadly passed away.
A Turangawaewae for inspiration
It’s a special place for Shavaughn and as she raves about her turangawaewae, it’s no surprise to hear that she’s currently writing a top-secret screenplay that pays homage to Taranaki.
“It’s a great place, but it hasn’t really had its time on film,” she says.
“I have this draw to go home. Every time I visit, when I get that first glimpse of the maunga, it’s like taking a big breath of fresh air.”
Tangata Pai screens 8.30pm Tuesdays on Three and streams on ThreeNow.
