Wellington locals play Terry Teo leads
One of our most beloved classic TV characters has had a facelift.
Terry Teo started life as 80s comic book Terry and the Gunrunners by Bob Kerr and Stephen Ballantyne, about the misadventures of the 12-year-old skateboarder and crime-solver Terry and his sister, Polly.
The original show, starring Billy T. James, quickly gained a cult following.
Now Terry and Polly are back, hitting screens this July.
Leading the cast are newcomers Kahn West and Hanna Tevita, from Wellington.
The pair first worked together on Kiwi film Fresh Meat, where West says he learned everything he needed to know about stunt work from actor Temuera Morrison.
‘‘He was definitely G.I. Jake. Our first gig we got to act with someone who’d done it all.’’
Both actors were discovered while still in high school, and are ‘‘a package deal’’, West says. ‘‘She makes me look good.’’
This time round they had to fight off stiff competition to land their roles alongside such acting royalty as Elizabeth Hawthorne and Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
Tevita says the Auckland-based Terry Show challenges socially accepted norms and racism.
‘‘You have this boy who’s come from a broken family, gets to choose a path, and ultimately makes the right choice.’’
West says drawing on the siblings’ Maori background this time helped establish more three dimensional characters.
‘‘Maori and Pacific kids will be able to relate to Terry.’’
West learned a trick or two about quick getaways – fleeing the scene of the crime by skateboard – whereas Tevita says Polly, whose vehicle of choice is a motorbike, ‘‘could probably handle a chopper’’.
For Tevita, who says she spent half her childhood in hospital, Polly was a fun role to play.
‘‘She’s a daredevil for sure. It was fun to go back to those days for a bit.’’
West says Tevita plays Polly as a ‘‘butt-kicking feminist’’, while Terry is a lover, not a fighter.
‘‘Violence is Terry’s Achilles heel. He has a way with the ladies.’’
Even though Terry may solve crimes in ways that aren’t legal, West says it’s always for the right reasons.
‘‘He’s liberal and has a thirst for justice.’’
West hopes the surprises offered by the 21st century revamp, which has retained the retro vibe, will delight fans of the original while also connecting with fresh audiences and a new demographic.
Watch the show on TVNZ OnDemand.