Samoan Māori Actor Bailey Poching lands role in Netflix Series - North of North
Bailey Poching, a young Samoan and Māori actor, is making waves in the entertainment industry with his role in the groundbreaking Netflix series North of North.
The show, set in the Canadian Arctic, offers a fresh perspective on indigenous storytelling, and Poching’s involvement is a celebration of the importance of representation and the power of diverse voices in film and television.
Poching's journey to landing the role in North of North was swift and unexpected, a whirlwind that saw him auditioning on Monday and flying out to Canada by Friday.
"It came up like any other role—I got an email about an audition and I sent in a tape," he recalls. "The unusual thing about the process was actually how quickly it all came together—I auditioned on a Monday and by Friday I was on a plane to Canada, en route to Nunavut, which is a territory in the Canadian Arctic."
The rapid turn of events was life-changing for Poching, who soon found himself living out his dream in the remote and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes of Nunavut. "It was the biggest and most intense shoot I’d ever been on," he says. "The main thing for me was getting to visit such a beautiful part of the world, and to learn so much of the rich history of Nunavut."
Poching plays Colin, a communications officer in the small Arctic town of Ice Cove. His character is one of the few male indigenous characters portrayed with tenderness, humour, and kindness, a rarity in both indigenous and Pasifika representations on screen.
The role resonated with Poching because, as he notes, indigenous stories hold immense value. "Indigenous stories are so precious, and to be present for the telling of another community's stories feels like such a privilege," he reflects. "The thing I love about Colin is that there aren’t many male indigenous characters—and indeed Pasifika and Māori characters—like him in our films and TV shows. He’s soft, kind, and supportive but he’s also really funny."
What makes Poching’s portrayal even more special is the cultural context. Although his character is set within the Inuit community, Poching, who identifies as Samoan and Māori, emphasises the importance of being a good visitor and ally to the Inuit people.
"My main focus was on being a good visitor to someone else’s land, and being there to assist in the telling of someone else's stories," he explains. "Acting and creative work can get quite heady, but I think the main thing I wanted to do was execute the writers’ vision."
His deep respect for the sacredness of indigenous storytelling shines through in his approach to the role. "It’s such a deep honour to be part of this cast and to share in the success of all of our hard work—North of North is an Inuit show. It’s an Inuit story."
Beyond the cultural exchange, Poching also found striking similarities between his own indigenous heritage and Inuit culture, especially in the use of humour.
"Probably one of the biggest examples is the humour," he says, sharing a memorable moment on set. "There’s a scene in episode one where Siaja asks Colin for a ride home after something awful happens. I decided to start improvising, and at the end of the take, I offered, 'You got twenty bucks?' Stacey, one of the show's co-creators, told me they’d kept it in because it felt like 'such an Inuk joke.' Humour, especially in the face of something really dark and difficult, turned out to be a shared grounds for understanding."
For Poching, being part of North of North is not just a career milestone but also a significant step forward for indigenous representation on screen. “North of North is a massive achievement for indigenous representation,” he notes. "The industry in Nunavut is small, so the efforts taken to get this show made have been unbelievable. And that doesn’t happen without indigenous leadership, indigenous storytelling, and indigenous talent."
As a Polynesian actor, Poching has faced challenges in the industry, particularly in terms of the limited opportunities available to indigenous actors. "Scarcity" is the term he uses to describe the struggle to break into the industry.
"There’s wonderful stuff coming out of this country, but relative to the amount of people auditioning and trying to get on these projects, it’s hard to get your foot in the door," he says. "But I’ve dealt with that by doing heaps of different stuff. I studied writing and directing, I write on a lot of NZ TV comedies, I do stand up and improv. And all of these things, thankfully, feed into each other and help me become a better storyteller."
For young Pasifika actors hoping to break into film and TV, Poching’s advice is simple but profound: "Learn to write! Be bad for a little bit! Keep going and get better!" He emphasises the importance of perseverance, passion, and the pursuit of stories that reflect one's own values. "Know your values, and your perspective on the world—know what it is that you have to say with your work."
Poching’s work in North of North highlights the power of indigenous storytelling and the need for more authentic representation in the media. His journey reminds us of the importance of supporting and uplifting indigenous voices, not only for the sake of representation but for the richness they bring to the stories we tell.
Full Q&A with Bailey Poching
How did you land your role in North of North, and what was the experience like working on the show?
It came up like any other role—I got an email about an audition and I sent in a tape. The unusual thing about the process was actually how quickly it all came together—I auditioned on a Monday and by Friday I was on a plane to Canada, en route to Nunavut, which is a territory in the Canadian Arctic. It kind of turned my entire world upside down in the space of four days, suddenly I was living in a hotel in the Canadian Arctic for three months living my dream. The show was so much fun. It was the biggest and most intense shoot I’d ever been on. The main thing for me was getting to visit such a beautiful part of the world, and to learn so much of the rich history of Nunavut. It was kind of an overwhelming experience but I tried my best to stay present and appreciate the privilege of being there. I got to dog sled on the ice, I got to eat frozen caribou and whale blubber. And then in between all of that stuff I got to live out this lifelong dream of acting in a comedy TV show.
Can you tell us about your character and what drew you to the role?
Colin is a communications officer in this small Arctic town called Ice Cove, which is the hometown of the show’s protagonist, Siaja. Colin occupies a supporting role along with Millie (played by Zorga Qaunaq) as one of Siaja’s best friends. Like I mentioned, the whole thing came together really quickly but a few of the green flags for me immediately were that the show was created and produced by two indigenous women (Stacey Aglok-Macdonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril), it was a comedy drama, and I’d never seen anything like it before. Indigenous stories are so precious, and to be present for the telling of another community’s stories feels like such a privilege. The thing I love about Colin is that there aren’t many male indigenous characters—and indeed Pasifika and Māori characters—like him in our films and TV shows. He’s soft, kind, and supportive but he’s also really funny. He’s not mean-spirited, either. There’s something really gentle about him, and that’s not something I get many opportunities to play.
What was it like as a Samoan/Māori actor playing a supporting role in a show centred on Inuit culture?
It was so cool. Colin’s culture isn’t explicit in the first season of the show, but I knew—and the creators of the show knew—he was Samoan and Māori. But my main focus was on being a good visitor to someone else’s land, and being there to assist in the telling of someone else’s stories. Acting and creative work can get quite heady—there’s lots of thinking and dreaming and having ideas—but I think the main thing I wanted to do was execute the writers’ vision, to recognise Colin’s place in this larger story and serve that. Which was super fun and actually made the work feel so much easier and lighter. A big part of that is being indigenous—and recognising the importance and the sacredness of our stories, and also maybe a bit of island humility too. It’s such a deep honour to be part of this cast and to share in the success of all of our hard work—but North of North is an Inuit show. It’s an Inuit story. And the important thing to me was to convincingly play a Pacific indigenous person who just happened to live in this community. In fact I think the further we got into the shoot—I was there for about three months—the closer I started to feel to Colin, who I saw as an indigenous person who had chosen to live in Nunavut and, because of his own whakapapa, had done his due diligence and done his homework on being a good settler.
Did you notice any similarities between Inuit culture and your own Samoan or Māori heritage?
I think there’s always overlap in indigenous cultures. I love bonding over concepts and ideas that we share, especially considering the distance. Probably one of the biggest examples is the humour though. There’s a scene in episode one, it’s in the trailer too, where Siaja asks Colin for a ride home after something awful happens. I decided to start improvising, and at the end of the take, I offered, "You got twenty bucks?" Stacey told me they’d kept it in because it felt like "such an Inuk joke." Humour, especially in the face of something really dark and difficult, was probably one of the biggest things I took away from the experience. It reminded me that laughter and joy, no matter where you are in the world, are incredibly important survival mechanisms.
What advice would you give to young Pasifika or Māori actors trying to break into the industry?
Learn to write! Be bad for a little bit! Keep going and get better! In the Pasifika space, there is often so much happening in terms of new stories and voices, but you have to understand that it’s still a little bit niche. You’ve got to learn how to make things yourself, and trust that people will be interested if you make work that speaks to your own values. Keep pursuing the things that excite you. And also don’t just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. Start making stuff, start collaborating with others. And remember—if you fail, just fail better. That’s what I’ve tried to do!
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By Tikilounge Productions & Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa
Arts & Culture Journalist Destiny Momoiseā