Local teen lands role in new television show
Months of auditions and waiting was a nerve-racking and exciting rollercoaster for a Rotorua teen, and the outcome was well worth it.
Tiare Savea, 16, has landed a main role in the upcoming television series Duckrockers.
Sione’s Wedding was a hit when it released in 2006, and now movie creators Oscar Kightley and James Griffin have gone back to the future with a new prequel comedy series, set in 1984 and based on the characters from the original movie, when they were teenagers.
Duckrockers has begun filming at South Pacific Pictures for TVNZ 2, and is set to launch later in 2022. Tiare will recreate Leilani in the show.
Tiare says last November a family member shared a post on Facebook about an open call for the show, and Tiare’s mother managed to talk her into auditioning.
She made and submitted many videos throughout the audition process, which spanned November to February.
Tiare says the first video was an overview of her experience. Almost a month later she was contacted and asked to send in another video, this time reading a script from the show.
“I didn’t hear anything for a while and so flew to Australia with family. The day I landed, I received an email saying they wanted me to go in and audition.”
It was also at this time that the borders shut again between Australia and New Zealand for a period of time due to Covid.
This meant Tiare had to do a Zoom audition in Sydney with the casting director instead.
She then waited a while more and managed to get an MIQ spot so she would be available if needed.
On January 12 Tiare was asked to take part in an audition boot camp. The boot camp covered aspects such as dance and camerawork.
About two weeks after the audition boot camp she got a callback where she read more script. A week later there was another callback and she had to submit a singing video.
Tiare then received the news in early March that she had landed the role.
“There were lots of auditions but they were looking for a group of kids who gelled well together.”
She says she was extremely excited when she got the role.
“The auditions and boot camps were nerve-racking because you don’t know what they are thinking, but it is also exciting,” Tiare says. “I would be really nervous on the way there but it gets easier.”
It was just herself and her mother who knew about the auditioning for a while, until the stressful situation of being stuck in Australia meant more of her family found out.
“I was too scared to tell anyone for a while in case I didn’t get the role.”
Performing is a passion Tiare has been involved in for many years. Locally she took part in Shrek Jnr in 2017, and John Paul College’s production of Chicago in 2021. Tiare has done speech and drama competitions since Year 7 with Gabrielle Thurston through John Paul College.
She says taking part in Chicago and getting to perform twice in one of the main roles, as well as a smaller role and the ensemble, was when she realised how much she loved performing.
“I like getting to express myself, both as the character and myself. It’s fun to do and I love being in the spotlight.”
Her mother, Amiria, says Tiare is actually very introverted, but when on stage or in front of a camera it is like she is a whole different person.
Tiare says: “I just remember that everyone I’m acting with is doing the same as me. If you are being shy, you will actually look like the odd one out.”
With the show currently in production, she has been back and forth between her home and Auckland, coming back to Rotorua for two to three days maybe every second week.
She says her school, John Paul College, has been amazing and supportive.
When asked what advice she would give to other young people who want to try out for these types of opportunities, Tiare advises not to think about what other people would say about it. “Just go for it.”
Amiria says the young cast have been around so many well-known New Zealand actors, who have been amazing with the kids.
“They’ve been really supportive and it’s an amazing production company.”