Ben Barrington, 46 (plays Drew McCaskill)
Ben wants a quieter life, unlike his character Drew!
How was the year 2023 for you?
I feel like 2023 went by really quickly. There wasn’t really a summer to speak of in Auckland, then the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle and the floods lasted months… It’s still very visible around our neighbourhood. Then there was an election and then Christmas… Phew!
What were your highs and lows?
A lowlight was a cancer diagnosis for a family member. They underwent successful treatment and are going to be OK, but it was a harrowing experience for a few months. Meanwhile, my wife and I are planning more renovations on our home in West Auckland for 2024. This has become our passion project and has brought us a lot of joy.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
Old movies over news, reading over scrolling, looking afar over staring down, experiences over routine, family over followers, music over opinions, art over content, and more presence and patience.
Ngahuia Piripi, 33 (plays Dr Esther Samuels)
How was the year 2023 for you?
It has been filled with a whole lot of everything for our whānau – a new house, new suburb and a brand-new baby – so mastering balancing my personal life and professional life has been quite the challenge. But it’s been a year full of gratitude!
What were your highs and lows?
Lowlights were over-coming the stresses of being a working māmā. I love to work, but I also love to be everything I can for my family. Being away from my babies can be particularly hard sometimes. The highlights are being home with my kids for the first few months of the year. After a well-needed break, it’s back to nailing being a working māmā. Again!
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
Any great surprises it might bring. I’m here for it!
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
Being OK with being out of my comfort zone. I believe growth always comes when you challenge yourself.
Michael Galvin, 56 (plays Chris Warner)
How was the year 2023 for you?
It was a good year! A highlight for me personally was my play MannBannd being produced at Centrepoint Theatre in Palmerston North. And also getting nominated for Television Personality of the Year in the New Zealand Television Awards. That was a nice surprise.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
I’ve had a heads-up about some of my storylines and that’s actually the thing I’m looking forward to! The talented writers on Shorty are amazing the way they keep coming up with new stuff for Chris.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
New Year’s resolutions never last past my birthday, which is two weeks later, so it feels like a bit of a lost cause to make any, but here goes: I resolve to clean the exterior side of my house that you can’t see from the street. If I manage to do this, it will be the first time I ever have!
Ria Vandervis, 39 (plays Dr Harper Whitley)
How was the year 2023 for you?
It’s been pretty bloody hard, to be honest. It has been my second year of motherhood, and the juggle with work and life was incredibly stressful for a time there, but I feel like it’s getting easier every week.
What were your highs and lows?
A definite highlight was getting away for 10 days to Bali, one of my favourite places on Earth and somewhere we hadn’t been for so long because of COVID. My son Teddy was at such a great age when we went – nearly two – and I just loved experiencing everything through his eyes. I also finally got back into exercise, which I’m loving. The lowlights have got to be the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, plus the awful political division everywhere. It breaks my heart.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
I am looking forward to a couple of new renovation projects, as well as continuing to learn and grow as a mum and human. And, of course, I am thrilled to continue playing Harper on Shorty!
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
I generally don’t go in for New Year’s resolutions, however, I like to start the year with a general aim to be more present and available for my friends and family. And maybe I’ll learn tennis!
Marianne Infante, 28 (plays Madonna Diaz)
How was the year 2023 for you?
For me, it’s been challenging and I’m now more self-aware of the kind of woman I am becoming.
What were your highs and lows?
To share a few highlights – I started my year in the Philippines with my family and friends, moved into a new home with my partner, watched my fur-baby Joey recover well from his major surgeries, had Tatum, aka Stella Reihana, as my Shorty dressing-room roomie, very slowly started learning French, completed the 11km Traverse Auckland Marathon run… Funnily enough, when I get asked about lowlights, I struggle to recall many low points in my life, but I know they exist! But one major lowlight of the year that genuinely challenged and changed me was coming home from a massive holiday and finding my fur-baby Joey sick and unable to walk. I’ve never experienced my maternal instincts as strongly as I have in 2023.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
I look forward to a little bit of calmness in 2024. I’m starting my year in Mauritius, where I’m meeting my partner’s family. I’m open to all the positive surprises the new year has to offer.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
To be kinder in my inner monologues with myself and to continue being unapologetically me.
Theo Dāvid, 27 (plays Viliami To’a)
Off screen, Theo’s thoughts are on son Jude.
How was the year 2023 for you?
It was my favourite year ever so far, followed pretty closely by 2021 and 2017.
What were your highs and lows?
The highlight of my year was having my first child, Jude Theodore. He’s the light of me and my partner’s lives. It might sound cheesy, but because we now have a son, it feels like everything else has been irrelevant, so I can’t really think of any lowlights.
What are your New Year’s resolutions?
In 2024, I’m looking forward to Marvel’s new Deadpool movie coming out and because I’m a huge professional wrestling fan, I’m also looking forward to watching WrestleMania 40 with my son. And my New Year’s resolution is to stop being a hater! I tend to be a pretty harsh critic of most things, so I’m going to try to take a step back and hopefully realise that sometimes things really aren’t that deep!
