Taungaroa Emile

Hawke's Bay teen Taungaroa Emile had only acted in school plays, before he made an award-winning screen debut in landmark movie Once Were Warriors (1994). Emile played shy but rebellious teenager Boogie Heke once again in the 1999 sequel. In-between, he starred as a teen ex-con in movie romance Flight of the Albatross. Since then Emile has starred in episodes of Taonga and te reo series Aroha, and appeared in Shortland Street, acclaimed feature No 2, and 2011 TV film Tangiwai - A Love Story. In 2004 he played one of the soldiers in Taika Waititi short Tama Tū, which was invited to over 40 film festivals. 

Taungaroa's got a real ability to work the cameras. He looks wonderful on screen because he's got his own charm and sense of character. Once Were Warriors scriptwriter Riwia Brown in Mana magazine, Winter 1996