Anapela Polataivao: More Than an Actor, a Champion for Pasifika Artists
There is something about a film like Tinā that lingers long after the credits are done rolling. Perhaps it's the raw, emotional storytelling. Perhaps it captures the quiet but insurmountable strength of a mother's love. Or maybe, just maybe, it's Anapela Polataivao, the driving force behind the film whose performance feels less acting and more lived experience.
But according to her, she isn't looking for all this recognition. She is about hard work, storytelling, and mainly making sure that the next wave of Pasifika artists has the tools and opportunities to take up space in an industry that hasn't always made room for them.
Behind-the-Scenes to Center Stage
When Anapela first got involved with Tinā, she had no plans on being the lead. Actually, she just wanted to help behind the camera. "My want was really just to be on the ground with the team, working from behind the scenes," she says. But when the calling came for her to act as Mareta, she stepped up, not for the limelight but because she knew the tale deserved everything she could give. She also shared that she dedicated her performance in Tinā to the late Pua Magasiva, who passed away in 2019.
And it's with that very same attitude that defines her career, because if there was a job to do, then she would do it. If there was a very young artist who needed guidance, then she would be there. And if there is a story that needs telling, she would make sure it's told in the right way.
Always, First and Foremost, a Mentor
Certainly, looking at the career of Polataivao, now an award-winning director, writer, and Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, one would see that she has "made it." But to her mind, triumph isn't personal. It's paving a path for others.
"I do want the next generation to be better, and specifically Pacific… If I’ve got the energy and the strength to continue to do those things, I will."
And she has. As a tutor at the Pacific Institute of Performing Arts (PIPA), she helped shape and mould young hopefuls who have forged their careers in theatre and film.
'Inky Pinky Ponky' was a script Anapela Polataivao helped develop as a PIPA tutor, now turned into a feature length film starring PIPA alum Amanaki Prescott-Faletau
She's a director and writer whose own projects are based on uplifting emerging talent. And even on the set of Tinā, working with younger actors, she made sure they did not feel left out but rather supported, encouraged, and valued.
"They remind you that it should be joyful. Yes, there’s hard work, but at the core, storytelling should be a joy."
The Bigger Picture
While the story of Tinā is a personal one about grief, love, and healing, the movie itself is an attempt to challenge the often-overlooked matter of representation. It should not be noted on the screens of mainstream cinema as novelty that a Pasifika woman plays solo in such a role. Normal would be the place to be. And that's precisely what Anapela craves.
"I'd really like to come to a point where it is not a thing we mention. It should be normalised. We've always been here."
Such a no-nonsense approach to representation is refreshing. In her words, she doesn't have "to prove" that Pasifika artists belong on the big screen. We do, we always have, and she spent her lifetime making sure the industry knows it too.
Anapelas early career was also defined by comedy - starring alongside our other brilliant comedic actors Goretti Chadwick as 'Pani and Pani' and Yolande Ah Chong in 'Fresh Housewives of South Auckland' - their legacies have stood the test of time in this space, as seen in the continued viral traction around pieces like this.
What Comes Next?
Anapela isn't slowing down just yet, even with an already full career. She next moves to directing The Monster in the Maze with New Zealand Opera, a huge show with more than 200 young performers. Film projects in the pipeline are also keeping her busy while she continues mentoring young aspiring artists.
But amidst all that, she's also taking time to focus on something that’s perhaps most important: family. "I really just want to focus on my parents," she shared. "Last year I did feel like I had started to burn out a little bit… so I just want to pull back on some things." Of course, she won't disappear anytime soon. "Ha! nek minit, she's going to Hollywood," she cracked. And really? If that happened, the world would be a better place for it.
Making a Lasting Impact
Anapela Polataivao's legacy isn't really in the roles she has played or titles she has won. It is about those whom she has lifted along the way. It is about the young Pasifika actors who can see the road ahead she’s helped pave for them and strive to walk it.
As long as there are stories to be told, you can bet that Anapela will be there. Whether it's in front of the camera, behind it, or standing just off to the side, quietly making sure that the next generation shines.
-
Leaving you with Anapela’s iconic cult classic character with Goretti Chadwick in ‘Pani and Pani’
