Coco Talanoa — Entertainment / Page 12

Gloria, Jason, Nivs, Pelz, Nella and Biggs685 play a game of Never Have I Ever Samoan-Australian Edition.

In this game they have to say if they have or havent done/experienced things like "Said Im related to Dawyne The Rock Johnson" or "Been told to go back where I came from". The group hilariously answers all these sticky questions and in doing so even sheds some light on the experience of Pacific Island people in Australia.

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Video from BuzzFeed Oz

Untold Pacific History is a dynamic and often provocative account of New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific and the broad impact it's had on New Zealand’s own history and relationship with Pacific peoples in Aotearoa today.

The series shines a light on five key stories in the Pacific that have been little-told in Aotearoa. From the epic drama of NZ’s colonisation of Samoa, schoolboys that were hidden under floorboards as part of the NZ Dawn Raids, to the extraordinary story of an allegedly ‘cursed’ hotel in the Cook Islands.

Untold Pacific History explores little-known snippets of the history of the Pacific and the part New Zealand has played in it.

This first-time series aims to be an accessible introduction to the history of a region which continues to emerge as pivotal to Aotearoa’s future.

Untold Pacific History aims to present a refreshed view of New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific, which will help to contextualise today’s Pacific experience in Aotearoa and how it came to be.

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Based on the beloved DC Comic, and Executive Produced by Susan Downey & Robert Downey Jr., Sweet Tooth is a post-apocalyptic fairytale about a hybrid deer-boy and a wandering loner who embark on an extraordinary adventure.

Fijian/Samoan Playwright and Director Toa Fraser was a Co-Executive Producer for the project, directed two episodes and helped showrunner Jim Mickle guide the season.

We asked him what it was like working on the show and what our Pasifika audience could look forward to watching it - 

“After a few years working overseas, it was a real privilege to come back to Aotearoa, reconnect with the amazing NZ film crew community, and to help showrunner Jim Mickle tell this heart-felt, magical story. Inspired by Jeff Lemire’s beloved DC comic series, it’s a story about misfits, outcasts and the underdogs searching and fighting for their place in the world. There’s also a couple of fun Easter egg moments for Pasifika audiences.…more

We go behind the scenes of our Teine Sa series with actor Frankie Adams.

She talks about what made her want to do the series, learning about the different goddesses and stories from ancient Pasifika legends, the scene she was most nervous about, the choreography in fight scenes and what she does to train for them plus much more.

Watch the full Teine Sa series here - the rest of the episodes will play out this week: https://www.thecoconet.tv/the-coconettv-series/im:23351/

Born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand 16–year–old schoolgirl Sapphire Tamalemai and her family relocated to Australia after the deadly earthquakes in 2011. For Sapphire, it was an opportunity to pursue her musical dreams.

Her father, who was her number one fan, passed away in her arms from a heart attack just before she applied for The Voice. 

He worked three jobs to support her music dreams and had always wanted her to apply for the show. Sapphire's mum and her sister were side of stage at her Blind Audition.

Apulu Uta'ile'uō Tu'u'u Mary Kalala Autagavaia breaks down some of the ideas behind Aitu/ atua in Samoan culture, and gives her perspective on the spiritual realm of the Teine Sā and the concept of the Va in Pacific epistemologies.

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Teine Sā trailer 

Teine Sā - the ancient spirits of the Pacific are stirring. Revered and feared in equal measure, these sacred gods have crept back into the modern world to engage with five different women facing their own demons..

Teine Sā is a series of stories of modern day issues impacting Pacific women who look to the atua of the past for guidance. 

Teine Sā are the ancient spirit women, with the ability to bless and curse in equal measure.

From the notorious goddess Telesa to the Hiama of the Solomon Islands, these tales of the unexpected take age-old stories on many twists and turns.

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Samoan actor KJ Apa was on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show recently!.

They talked shooting “Riverdale” in Vancouver, growing up with Samoan culture and tradition, his father being the village chief, getting three concussions while playing rugby, his road to becoming an actor, jumping seven years into the future on “Riverdale,” and having no idea what the Super Bowl was.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has been honoured with the 'Trailblazer' award at the fourth annual Hollywood Critics Association.

Check out the touching montage they put together for him in the video above which showcases not only his acting and wrestling career but his philanthropic work with first responders and the 'Make-A-Wish' foundation.

He accepted his award via Zoom and dedicated the win to his "trailblazer" - his late father, WWE Hall of Famer, Rocky 'Soulman' Johnson who passed away at the beginning of last year.

In his acceptance speech he said of the video montage "It's the anchoring reminder that if we're lucky enough and we're fortunate enough to be in a position where you can make somebody feel good and you can create moments for them that they will never forget for the rest of their lives, that is power," 

"That's real accountability to humanity when you just do good for people."

Check out the full speech below - 

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson introduces the women who play the powerful females who shaped his life: Ana Tuisila plays The Rock's grandmother, Lia Maivia, and Stacey Leilua plays his mother, Ata Johnson.

Stacey and Ana have just been nominated for a HCA TV award (Hollywoods Critics Association) for Best Actress and Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series Comedy and Dwayne himself is also up for a Best Supporting actor role in Young Rock!  The "Young Rock" Series is nominated for Best broadcast network series, Comedy.

Check out who they'll be going up against below - 

Stacey shared the news on her social media this morning saying: 

“Young Rock” focuses on different chapters of Dwayne Johnson’s life. From growing up in a strong and resilient family, to being surrounded by the wild characters of his professional wrestling family, to playing football at the University of Miami, the show will explore the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life characters he’s met along the way.

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu, Ana Tuisila, Fasitua Amosa and John Tui.

Peep the cast interviews above.

"Young Rock" premieres tonight (17th Feb) 8/7c on NBC which is 2pm today in NZ

For kiwis wanting to watch the show, actress Stacey Leilua who plays The Rocks Mum says you can watch it on PeacockTV but you'll need a VPN.