MAMA's MUSIC BOX NEW COMERS - SIENI LEO'O OLO & UNALOTO FUNAKI
The makers of hit films, Three Wise Cousins, Hibiscus & Ruthless and Take Home Pay have brought you a Pacific Christmas Film "Mama's Music Box" which was released in select theatres today around New Zealand.
For the stars of the movie Sieni Leo'o Olo and Unaloto Funaki, it was the first time they'd ever been in a feature film let alone starred in one.
They shared with us a bit about their experience here.
On being in a feature film for the first time ...
Sieni - Being in a feature film for the first time and especially with the challenge, because it was made in 30 days, it was a lot of pressure but also because I got thrown in the deep end it was a really good space to learn in.
Unaloto - It was not what I expected. Stallone and Dinah and the team were really chill but professional and they really took care of us. So even though it was a Feature 30 Challenge, we didn't feel that we needed to meet that, like we only had 2 weeks of filming but everything came together really well right down to the last hour.
On the challenges they experienced during the shoot ...
Sieni - So that was my first time working with script and we got it 2 days before and we had 2 four hour meetups and then went straight into filming. So learning the lines for me was a challenge and also because I'm a bit of a soso Stallone sometimes had to prompt me to "Stay in it, stay in it" (laughs)
Unaloto - Getting the script 2 days before we started (laughs) but it was over before it even started so there was no room to stress out aye? Actually! The most challenging part was wearing the Santa suit the whole shoot and even that little scene where you see me rolling around on the ground, that was in the scorching sun and I was sweating the whole time.
What they liked about the characters they played ...
Sieni - I play Sam and she's very far from me (laughs) she made me pull on my innocence quite a bit which I didn't know that I had so all of sudden it was like 'I've got a heart guys'!
Yeah so she brought that out of me cos I had to tap into that and then finding her it was like 'Oh I have to show my heart but I have to find it first!' but I found it.
Unaloto - I love that he's Tongan and I loved that his job was being Santa Claus in the mall. I also love the relationship between him and his Mama, his grandmother.
On how they feel playing parts like this in movies for islanders ...
Sieni - This was the first time I've been in a room with people who've actually seen it (at the media screening) so having that response kinda pushes why you do it. Going wow! There's actually no other movies with brown people in it and also I was the only person from Southsiiide (laughs). So repping Southside and Polynesia - it's a beautiful thing.
Unaloto - I'm just so overwhelmed from the response and I'm just so grateful and blessed that they asked me to be one of the lead roles. Tonight is probably the second time we've seen the full film and this is going to live on and other Pacific Island kids are going to see this and go 'Hey!' if they can do it, we can do it!'
Go check out Mama's Music Box for yourself and to make it even sweeter the ticket price for this movie is only $10 which is half price of any other movie ticket out at the moment which makes it more affordable to be able to take your whole family to!
