Vegas - First Episode

I was protective of Toni's trajectory and the way she was portrayed in this world. It matters. Toni is a woman striving to be the best version of herself, while protecting her family and her empire . . . This role is like no other I have played before and the journey was quite challenging for many reasons.

– Cian Elyse White on playing the role of Toni, The NZ Herald, 28 March 2021

Vegas is the story I sought to tell, having had the privilege of coming to know and love Teina Pora. Vegas is the story I sought to tell, having learned about the extraordinary gang president who said no to crack.

– Vegas co-creator Michael Bennett on the inspirations for Vegas, The Spinoff, 21 April 2021

Tonight we finish what the old man started. Once this deal is done, it's a new day for Te Toki. This, this is the last bag of crack that comes through those doors. We sell the cooking gear back to Chuck. Anyone not up to this, you say it to my face, you walk out those doors.

– Kingi (Eds Eramihi) announces his plan for the Te Toki gang to go straight

Since your Dad died it's been hard for everyone. But there are ways to deal with grief. Hanging out with a bunch of bitchy little brats, giving up sport, coming home smelling like cigarettes and dope...stealing...

– Toni (Cian Elyse White) talks to her daughter about her behaviour

The real star of this first episode though is To’a director Kiel McNaughton, who does a terrific job here of bringing all the disparate story strands together into an entertaining and sometimes gripping whole, culminating in the tension-filled heist. McNaughton’s smart, engaging direction helps hook you into the story and perfectly paces the action.

– Stuff critic James Croot on this opening episode, 19 April 2021

You're smart. You could be leader one day boy...If you're smart enough to stay away from the f***ing crack.

– Gang leader Kingi (Eds Eramihi) warns his recruit

We do the deal with Chuck, Wai back water's ours. It was always rightfully ours. We set up here: a place for Te Toki to stand — but we gotta do the deal.

– Te Toki gang leader Waka (Wayne Hapi) on the motivation for one final high-dollar drug deal

...in the storytelling of Vegas, life in gangs is not defined as destiny. It is the place where these men and women with their endless potential are currently at. Or, where they believe they want to go. But Vegas treats life in the gangs as a collision of circumstances for our characters, not as preordained destiny. Had the coin been tossed and landed a different way, they would be business leaders or viticulturists or poets or lawyers. But the coin landed as it did, and these young men and women of huge potential walk down a very different path.

– Vegas co-creator Michael Bennett, The Spinoff website, 21 April 2021

Vegas had a 65 per cent Māori cast and crew and 52 mana whenua were employed from around the region, along with 50 locals as extras.

– Writer Emma Houpt on Vegas filming in the Rotorua region, The Rotorua Daily Post, 5 May 2021