Nicola Kawana

Nicola Kāwana is a New Zealand actress, best known for playing Huia Samuels on the longest running New Zealand television series Shortland Street. Other roles include Mercy Peak, Jackson's Wharf, Lollie in The Man Who Lost His Head and “Mad” Maggie in Apex Legends.

Career

Kāwana was born in Taranaki, and was part of Taranaki Youth Theatre. She did actor training at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School graduating in 1994.
As of 20 August 2006, the character Huia Samuels has been written out of Shortland Street. It was reported that Kāwana was very angry with the decision. However, the story that appeared went to print based on gossip. Kāwana was unable to give her side of the story due to the legal constraints of her contract to South Pacific Pictures, the makers of the serial programme.
July 2021 was the premier of a play Kāwana wrote called Kūpapa. This play is about an ancestor of Kāwana's, Lucy Takiora Lord, who was involved in significant historical events in Aotearoa New Zealand. The play was presented by Te Pou Theatre in Auckland and directed by Erina Daniels.
Kāwana also works as a garden writer, gardener and presenter on the Māori TV show, Whānau Living. Nicola is a member of Equity New Zealand, a UNICEF Global Parent.

Theatre

Kāwana's first professional role was in Hone Tuwhare’s In the Wilderness Without a Hat in 1989 at Taki Rua.
Her theatre acting roles include:

Year	Title	Playwright	Role	Director	Producer	Notes	Ref
1995	Five Angels	Hone Kouka		Alison Quignan	Centrepoint Theatre
1996	Mo & Jess Kill Susie	Gary Henderson		Gary Henderson	BATS Theatre
1998	Homefires	Hone Kouka	Tia	Nathaniel Lees	Downstage Theatre	in NZ Festival of the Arts programme
1998	Kindertransport	Diane Samuels	Mother	Donagh Rees	Herald Theatre	Unreal Theatre Company
1999	Les Parents Terribles	Jean Cocteau	Madeline	Cathy Downes	Circa Theatre
2001	Woman Far Walking	Witi Ihimaera	Tilly	Christian Penny	Taki Rua Productions	performed in New Plymouth and at the Herald Theatre, Auckland in August
2012	The Motor Camp	Dave Armstrong	Dawn Taoioa	Roy Ward	Auckland Theatre Company	Comedy, based on a story by Danny Mulheron
2012	Awatea	Bruce Mason	Pera	Colin McColl	ATC
2014	Fix	Jess Sayer	Grace	Sam Sneddon	The Basement
2015	A Dolls House	Emily Perkins	Christine	Colin McColl	ATC	adapted from Ibsen's original
2018	Rendered	Stuart Hoar	Major Aria	Katie Wolfe	ATC
2018	Under the Mountain	Pip Hall	Aunty Noeline	Sara Brodie	ATC	adapted from Maurice Gee novel
2019	Astroman	Albert Belz	Mrs Mahara	Tainui Tukiawalo	ATC	in assoc. with Te Rehia Theatre and Auckland Arts Festival.
2020	The Master Builder	Hendik Ibsen	Dr Kerdal	Colin McColl	ATC	a hybrid of theatre and film
2020	Red Rabbit, White Rabbit	Nassim Soleimanpour	Solo	The Audience	Silo Theatre	Improvisation from playwright's instructions,unseen by the actor
2021	Things That Matter	Gary Henderson	Carol	Anapela Polata'ivao	ATC	adapted from a memoir by Dr David Galler

Awards

1996 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards - Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year - Mo & Jess Kill Susie by Gary Henderson