Love is in the air in the next “mini season” of our favourite Kiwi soap. Shortland Street: Fracture, which begins next week, is all about relationships, power dynamics and betrayal. In the lead-up, as we took an exclusive first look at the new publicity photos (above), Shorty stars Ngahuia Piripi and Jane Wills sit down with Woman’s Day to reveal their thoughts about romance, break-ups and the secrets to sizzling on-screen chemistry.
Asked what the most romantic thing anyone has done for her, mum of four Ngahuia – who shares son Niau, almost four, and daughter Aewa, two, with former Shorty actor Teone Kahu – grins, “Writing me love letters! It was actually really cute, like the movie PS I Love You. It was that level of romantic.”
The soap also provided the backdrop for true love for Jane, 28, who laughs, “Jas from the makeup department decorated my room for my birthday last week. That’s got to be up there in terms of romance!”
In real life, Jane – who plays Dr Phil Grayson on Shorty – is besotted with her partner, Sweet Tooth actor Leo Maggs. When quizzed on their love language, she jokes, “All of them! I like affection, attention and acts of service.”
Ngahuia, 35, says, “Everyone’s going to think mine is gifts because that’s how I show love. But it’s acts of service or words of affirmation for me too. Probably a bit of everything!”
How do the pair maintain a healthy relationship with their significant others?
“Great sex!” laughs Ngahuia, who has played Dr Esther Samuels since 2015. “Honestly, if you can keep that, you’ve got a healthy relationship.”
Her and Teone’s strong partnership and “glass-half- full optimism” help the couple get through any tough times, she adds.
“We’re also so grateful to have such an amazing village of wha¯nau and friends who support us, but we understand that is not a reality for everyone.”
Meanwhile, Jane, 28, credits “a lot of love, communication and humour” for keeping the spark alive with Leo. It obviously works – the couple is coming up to nine years together, having first met while studying acting at Toi Whakaari in Wellington. When it comes to love on screen, they both say trusting your acting partner is key.
“You have to be friends in real life,” Jane tells.
Ngahuia agrees, “It’s really just having a good relationship with your screen partner.”
As for the most romantic scene they’ve ever done on Shorty so far?
“Filming the affair with Harper [played by Ria Vandervis] on location in the earthquake house,” shares Jane. “It was fun and sneaky!”
For Ngahuia, it was her character’s marriage to Finbar Warner, played by Lukas Whiting. She laughs, “Curtis [Jayden Daniels] showed up and said, ‘Don’t marry him,’ but Esther still married Finn!”
The guys’ guide to love
Shorty stars Ben Barrington (Dr Drew McCaskill), Scott Smart (Dr Marty Walker), Mo Nasir (Dr Nazar Arshad) and Jade Daniels (Julian Jonas) give us a male perspective on romance…
What’s your secret to a healthy relationship?
Ben: Don’t be in the kitchen at the same time!
Scott: Find the best person in the world and treat them the best you possibly can.
What’s the most romantic thing anyone has done for you?
Mo: Coming home to someone cooking for me after a long day.
Jade: My wife organised a surprise birthday dinner for me with some of my best friends – it was overwhelmingly special.
What’s your love language?
Scott: Words of affirmation. But chocolate and The OC are my actual love language.
Ben: Italian, of course!
How do you deal with heartbreak?
Scott: I leave the country.
Jade: Watch sad movies, bawl my eyes out, and bore my friends and family to death with how I’m feeling.
What’s the most satisfying revenge you’ve ever taken?
Mo: I’ve actually taken revenge on plenty of people as I’m pretty petty if you get on my bad
side. However, I can’t reveal the details!
Jade: I met another girl and fell madly in love.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done for love?
Ben: I watched The Notebook.
Jade: I went on a blind date – that was pretty scary at the time!
Shortland Street: Fracture premieres 7pm Monday 14 July on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+.
