Aroha Rawson
Aroha discovered acting at an early age, and went on to receive the LAMDA Diploma in Acting from The Actors Theatre School in London. Over the years she has built a substantial career across screen and stage, with a body of work that reflects her on screen appeal and the consistency of her work ethic.
Her screen work includes series regular roles in international co-productions Dark City: The Cleaner and The Ridge, and key characters in award-winning local productions Rūrangi and The Brokenwood Mysteries. Across these projects Aroha has taken on a wide range of roles, both comedic and dramatic, and in 2020 her work in local comedy Mean Mums earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the New Zealand Television Awards.
Over the years Aroha has also maintained a strong connection to live performance, with credits including ATC’s The Haka Party Incident and The Handlers at Te Pou Theatre. She continues to work consistently across screen and stage, while remaining connected to community performance and teaching.
Hair Colour
Black
Location
Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau
Age Range
45 - 60
Ethnicity
Māori
Height
158cm
Eye Colour
Brown
Full CV
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Film
2019 - Cousins - Pahe - Directors - Briar Grace Smith & Ainsley Gardiner - Miss Conception Films
2019 - Same But Different - Awhina - Director - Nikki Si'ulepa - RAW Productions
2016 - Mahana (The Patriarch) - Aunt Ruth - Director - Lee Tamahori - Jump Film and Television
Television
2025 - The Ridge - Mrs Olsen (recurring) - Great Southern Television/BBC Scotland
2024 - Tangata Pai - Wai - Brown Sugar Apple Grunt
2024 - Dark City: The Cleaner - Wendy (recurring) - Endeavour Ventures
2024 - Madam - Aunty Mug - Tavake/XYZ Films
2023 - Far North - Joyce (recurring) - South Pacific Pictures
2021 - The Gulf: season 2 - Marama - Lippy Pictures
2021 - Mean Mums: season 3 - Hine (core cast) - Hine - South Pacific Pictures
2019 - The Dead Lands - Mahia - GFC Films
2019 - Mean Mums: season 2 - Hine (core cast) - Hine - South Pacific Pictures
2019 - The Brokenwood Mysteries: season 6 - Denise Karawa - South Pacific Pictures
2019 - Shortland Street - Casey Thomas - South Pacific Pictures
2018 Mean Mums: season 1 - Hine (core cast) - South Pacific Pictures
2018 - Only in Aotearoa: season 2 - Mother / Wahnine Jones - Kura Productions
2016 - Sensing Murder - Chattrice - Director - Ande Cunningham - TVNZ
2015 - Find me a Māori Bride: season 1 - Motel Manager - Brown Sugar Apple Grunt
2014 - The Brokenwood Mysteries - Denise - South Pacific Pictures
2014 - Coverband - Bartender - The Down Low Concept
2013 - Hardcase - Janice Tamati - Director - Tipare Iti - Māori Television
2009 - Shortland Street - Linda - South Pacific Pictures
Web-series
2023 - Rurangi: season 2 - Whina (recurring) - Director - Max Currie - Autonomouse
2021 - Epic NPC Man - Cammi’s Mother - Viva La Dirt League
2019 - Rurangi: season 1 - Whina (recurring) - Director - Max Currie - Autonomouse
2017 - Ahikaroa: season 1 - Lecturer - Kura Productions
Short Film
2021 - Matua - Marama Roberts - Director - Kaitiaki Rodger - Insight Productions
2020 - Daughter of God - Awatea - Director - Maza White
2019 - The Brylcreem Boys - Marea - Director - Rafer Rautjoki
2018 - Reunion - Aunty Mere - Director - Rafer Rautjoki
2018 - Yellow Roses - Aggie Johnson - Director - Paula Whetu-Jones - Whitiora Productions
2013 - Remana and Ropata - Remana - Director - Rangi Rangitukunoa - Mokomedia
2009 - Dangerous Curves - Lead - Director - Richard Simkins - The Juicy Soup Project
2007 - Happily Ever After, Again - Troll/Cinderella - Director - Max Currie
2004 - Harold - Ting Ting - Director - Beth Gauldie - DVPP
2004 - Conclusion - Maria - Director - Marina Speke
2003 - The Handsome Thief - Johnny Swann - Belmont Productions
2003 - Starstruck - Receptionist - Director - Anna Middleton
Theatre
2024 - The Handlers - Whero - Director - Amber Curreen - Te Pou Theatre
2017 - The Haka Party - Various - Director - Katie Wolfe - Auckland Theatre Company
2015 - Pacific Sisters - Slotte de la Flotte - Oceanic Performance Biennale, Rarotonga
2013 - The Maori Vagina Monologues - Various - Director - Maria Walker - Basement Theatre
2012 - Venturina, Venturina (Commedia del Arte) - Donna Pasqua - Director - Tainui Tukiwaho - Smackbang Theatre Company
2004 - Candida - Candida - Director - Penny Giddens - Christchurch Repertory
2002 - Do Not Disturb - Secretary - Director - Marion Olett - Elmwood Players Christchurch -
2014 - Actors Lab Studio (1yr course) - with Peter Feeney
2011 - Actors Lab Studio Workshops - with Peter Feeney
2009 - Auditioning for Screen - with Stephen Lovatt
2005 - American Accent Workshop - with Terri D'Ath
2004 - Acting Ayombe Physical Theatre Retreat - with Josephine Baez (New York)
1997 - 1998 - The Actors Theatre School London (LAMDA) -
2020 - Nominated - Best Supporting Actress: Mean Mums - New Zealand Television Awards
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Accents - American, Australian, British, French, Spanish, Italian
Languges - Te Reo Māori (conversational), French, Spanish
Piano (basic)
Flute
Taonga pūoro (basic)
Swimming
Sing
Skiiing
Waterskiing
