Coco Talanoa — Entertainment / Page 29

Samoan actor Ray Chong Nee on his heritage, his desire to give back, and his dream for a King Lear of colour.

Source: The Saturday Paper

On the island of Upolu, in the high inland ranges of Aleisa, about 17 kilometres west by road from the Samoan capital of Apia, you will find the farming community where the Melbourne-based stage actor Ray Chong Nee was raised, and where his family still owns smaller plots. 

Chong Nee spent about half of his first 12 years there, after being born in Apia’s Moto’otua Hospital in 1983, and the other half of those years in New Zealand, his family shuttling back and forth for work and for education, before they settled in Australia on the brink of his adolescence. 

There had been no electricity where he grew up in Samoa: in the very stony but fertile soil of Aleisa, the wider Chong Nee family had worked their eight hectares by hand, growing taro and bananas. 

“I was exposed to people telling me to go home, using ‘nigger’.…more

KJ Apa has landed a lead role in Altar Rock, an indie thriller from director Andrzej Bartkowiak inspired by the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Source: Deadline

No word on his role in the film, which will shoot on location this summer. Kristin Alexandre and A. Wayne Carter wrote the script.

KJ’s profile will get a boost when he stars as Archie in the CW’s midseason drama series Riverdale. The New Zealand native also has a role in A Dog’s Purpose, Lasse Hallstrom’s pic about one dog’s quest to discover his purpose in life over the course of several lifetimes with multiple owners. Apa’s other credits include the NZ drama series The Cul-de-Sac and Kiwi soap Shortland Street.

KJ is repped by WMA, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Red 11 Management.

Image: Rex/Shutterstock

Not many actors can say they made their film debut - at the age of 64 - in a scene with Scarlett Johansson and Pilou Asbaek.

Source: Stuff

But that's the claim to fame of Fa'amoana "John" Luafutu - father of rapper Scribe - who was spotted by Ghost in the Shell director Rupert Sanders on a striking poster for his play The White Guitar as he was being driven from Wellington airport to the set.

The poster features heavily tattooed John topless with his two sons, actor Matthias Luafutu and Malo Luafutu (Scribe), who also feature in the play.

He was contacted by a Ghost in the Shell representative to discuss appearing in the film, and they auditioned in Christchurch.

Unfortunately, Malo, or "the famous one" as proud dad John puts it, was not selected.

But John was thrilled when he found out he would be joined on set by Matthias, a Toi Whakaari-trained actor who stared in 2013's Shopping.…more

Check out the cast of the American Tour of The Lion King and their take on Samoan Language Week!

Jo Ramsey, a Samoan from Hawaii, is currently playing Mufasa in the American Tour of Lion King.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson will soon be joining the ranks of Hollywood's greatest with his very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

The uso has literally done it all - from being a muli-time wrestling champ to being one of the biggest international box office stars in Hollywood! 

Now, he’s getting one of the biggest honors in entertainment: a Hollywood Star.

Joining him this years honors are:

In the category of motion pictures: Amy Adams, Jason Bateman, Goldie Hawn, Chris Pratt, Brett Ratner, Ryan Reynolds, George A. Romero, Mark Ruffalo and Rita Wilson

In the category of TV: Tyra Banks, Andre Braugher, Ken Corday, Lee Daniels, Hugh Laurie, Eva Longoria, Wolfgang Puck, Keri Russell, Haim Saban, George Segal, Sarah Silverman and Jeffrey Tambor

In the category of recording: Clarence Avant, Jerry Goldsmith (posthumous), Hall & Oates, Ice Cube, John Legend, *NSYNC, New Edition and Selena Quintanilla (posthumous)

Poly song-stress Aaradhna Patel opens up about her inspiration behind her latest album, and how she's just not another 'Brown GIrl in the Ring'.

After the success of her last album Treble and Reverb back in 2013, Aaradhna is back with her latest album Brown Girl released this year.

She took to twitter to voice the the meaning behind the title song Brown Girl in an open letter talking about her self-doubts, upbringing, and how it ultimately helped set her up for the new album.

Aaradhna won several awards NZ Music Awards for her music, including Best Female solo artist, Album of the Year, Best Urban/Hip-Hop Album, as well as Best Pacific Music Album for Treble & Reverb back in 2013.

OPINION: I can't remember why, but I do recall the age of 7 as being a pretty tough year.

Source: Stuff

It was probably a combination of things.  At the root of it would have been a couple of years struggling to transition into a new family and country, and missing my mother in Samoa.

Then, in the year I turned 8, I was lucky to get "Mrs B" as my teacher.  Mrs B is Thelma Butterworth.  I was just one of many pupils she would have taught during her 18-year stint at Matipo Primary in Te Atatu North.

It was in Mrs B's class that I really discovered my love of writing.  When I look back at my school class photos, that year is when I look the happiest.

Since leaving Matipo decades ago, I'd always thought about finding Mrs B, giving her flowers and thanking her for being such a wonderful teacher.

Oscar Kightley's class at Matipo Primary in 1978. That's your columnist, second from left in the second row.…more

Check out some of the highlights from last night's show in Auckland with Poly-soul songstress Aaradhna!

Backed by her new live band, and performing all her hits and exclusive tracks from “BROWN GIRL” her landmark new album was produced entirely by the Brooklyn based Truth & Soul Records ( Adele / Aloe Blacc / Lee Fields & The Expressions).

Recorded live in Brooklyn and Los Angeles with the guidance of Jeff Dynamite, her 4th studio album is a literal ‘who’s who' of the greatest retro soul instrumentalists and session players on the scene today, creating a dark, therapeutic pace that delves into intertwining topics of race relations, label politics, love, heart break, judgment and ignorance. Above all else Aaradhna’s voice is still her strongest instrument.

“Brown Girl” is about people trying to put you in a box, when there’s more to you than meets the eye. Covering a broad musical landscape including mixed genre’s of R&B/Soul/Country/Blues & Pop, Aaradhna delivers a quiet intensity that grows with every story she tells through her music.…more

Vince Harder has dominated at the 2016 Vodafone Pacific Music awards, taking out the honours for best male artist, urban artist and best producer, for his album Rare Vision.

Music and dance group Te Vaka nabbed the awards for best album - Amataga - and best song, Papua I Sisifo, which was written by band member Opetaia Foa'I, who is currently writing the soundtrack for the upcoming Disney film Moana.

Kiwi-Samoan singer Annie Grace won best female artist for her album The Journey, while Sol3 Mio took out the title of best group.

Annie Grace and family

Hip hop heavyweight Savage took home the radio airplay award for his hit Freaks, as well as nabbing a special recognition award for outstanding achievement, alongside Tongan sisters Vika and Linda Bull.

Savage

The Bulls weren't the only international artists to get recognition, as Californian group Common Kings picked up the award for best international Pacific artist - with its members having ties to Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga.…more