It’s a long way from Ferndale to Hollywood, but it’s an even greater move from Los Angeles back to Aotearoa – via the Beehive and while recovering from a scary health battle. However, as Shortland Street alum Lee Donoghue stands as New Zealand First’s candidate for Hutt South in the upcoming election, he’ll be taking all his showbiz lessons into politics.
In fact, while some may question the 39-year-old star’s political credentials, he believes his acting background is what makes him the perfect contender.
“As an actor, you play so many different characters and experience different points of view, so you generate a huge sense of empathy for different perspectives and realise all views are valid,” explains
Lee, talking exclusively to Woman’s Day about his newly-announced journey into politics.
“You realise the impact you make on people’s lives and you don’t get that with career politicians who get political science degrees then become politicians. We need real Kiwis with real-life experience running the country.”
It’s his experience and relatability that Lee’s proud mum Lynnette Donoghue believes will be his greatest asset in politics.
“He’s approachable, kind and empathetic,” she says. “He’s great at relating to different people, young and old. He’s an old soul!”
Lynnette recalls Lee dressing up as Superman and pretending to fly while developing a love for the limelight as a child. Filming commercials, he then appeared in The Tribe and played David Lange’s son in Fallout. “That’s probably what sparked his interest in politics,” reflects Lynnette.
Studying drama before joining Shorty as Hunter McKay, Lee relocated to Los Angeles in 2012, where we caught up with him while celebrating Shorty’s 30th anniversary in May last year.
Shorty’s McKay clan.
It was a few months later that Lee returned from shooting a movie in Europe and began feeling “horrendous” jaw pain. Losing feeling throughout his face, he rushed to ER and was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a condition causing facial paralysis/weakness.
Over the next month, Lee couldn’t talk or eat normally and found food he once loved tasted awful. He also developed labyrinthitis, an inner-ear infection which causes vertigo.
“It was the worst month of my life,” he recalls. “I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. And it’s hard psychologically when you use your face as a career. I was thinking, ‘Will I ever get full use of my face back? Will my girlfriend stick around?'”
Thanks to meds, exercises and his nurse girlfriend Nicole Reyes, Lee slowly regained movement and feeling. “I’d be doing my exercises and yell, ‘Nicole, I can move my eyebrow!’ It was such a victory.”
Having acupuncture to help his Bell’s palsy.
His agents weren’t supportive – dumping him over email – but Lee found encouragement in messages about willpower from his acting coach.
Stared at in public, the illness showed Lee how those with disabilities might feel, which could prove helpful with health policies. “It gave me huge insight into how people with disabilities don’t want sympathy. They want to be treated like everybody else and not be identified by their disability.”
While Lee still suffers muscle atrophy, he recovered enough to attend his best friend’s wedding in New Zealand in March. While home, he noticed how outraged friends were about political matters such
as fiscal waste, healthcare and education.
The visit heightened the dissatisfaction Lee was already feeling with LA. “Hollywood’s pushing political ideology that I don’t agree with, which is manifesting in New Zealand. I told Mum I want to do something about it and she suggested writing to Winston Peters.”
Meanwhile, Lee attended Winston’s 2023 campaign launch, which he found “inspiring and hopeful”. I realised, ‘This is my guy. This is where I want to help’.”
After writing to NZ First, Lee had virtual interviews from LA, applied for candidacy, then dropped everything Stateside to attend a candidates’ college in Christchurch in June.
Lee has the Beehive in his sights – and support from mum Lynnette!
He’s thrilled to run for Hutt South, given he was born and raised there by dad Stephen Donoghue, who’s from Petone, and Wainuiomata-raised Lynnette.
Lee describes working with Winston as “a masterclass in statesmanship”, enthusing, “He’s been involved with every government for the last 30 years, so he knows what works and how to get bills passed.”
Noting that he pursued acting to create positive impact through art, Lee hopes to do the same with politics. It’s why he’s happily putting Hollywood ambitions aside, having starred in shows and films, including The Contrast.
Having juggled multiple jobs, cleaned toilets and battled mental lows to keep his Hollywood dream alive, he hopes those struggles will make him relatable to voters.
“It was hard yakka,” tells Lee, who’s chronicling his political journey on his @LeeDonoghue Twitter account. “I come from a middle-class background – my mother had businesses, my father’s a builder, my brother’s a plumber. I’ve lived overseas and experienced highs, lows and adversity.”
And while long-distance love hasn’t been easy, Nicole’s heading Down Under to support Lee before the election.
Girlfriend Nicole has stuck by Lee.
“She loves New Zealand and was right behind me with everything, saying, ‘This is what you need to do. Go do this!'”
