Mike Minogue (actor)

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Mike Minogue
Born1978 (age 4647)
Citizenship New Zealand
Occupation(s)Actor, radio personality
Years active2000s–present
Television Wellington Paranormal

Mike Minogue (born 1978) is a New Zealand television and film actor. He is best known for portraying Officer Minogue, a character he first played in What We Do in the Shadows (2014), which he reprised in the television series Wellington Paranormal from 2018 to 2022. He won Best Actor in the 2019 New Zealand Television Awards for the role.

Contents

Minogue began his career on the production side of film in the New Zealand film industry, working in various production roles on movies such as The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and Avatar (2009), among others. He got his first acting role in Separation City (2009). After landing his role as Officer Minogue on What We Do in the Shadows (2014), he went on to star in the successful television spinoff, Wellington Paranormal, which lasted four seasons. In 2016, Minogue launched his own web series, The Water Cooler. In 2021, Minogue co-produced the thriller Coming Home in the Dark.

Since 2021, Minogue has also worked at Radio Hauraki, and is currently the co-host of Radio Hauraki's Big Show, alongside Jason Hoyte and Chris Key. [1]

Biography

Minogue grew up in Levin, New Zealand, and was educated at St Joseph's Primary School, Horowhenua College [2] and spent a year at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream.[ citation needed ]

Minogue began acting when he was 31 years old, after working various roles in the film industry. [3]

Career

Early career

Minogue started in the production side of the film industry on a number of films, including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), The Hobbit trilogy , Avatar (2009), District 9 (2009), and The Adventures ofTintin (2011). He held various production roles, including as a runner, and working on miniatures for King Kong (2005). Minogue got into acting by chance after being encouraged by a colleague to audition for a role in Separation City (2009). [3] [4]

What We Do in the Shadows and Wellington Paranormal (2014–2022)

Minogue in The Catch, a 2016 short film Mike Minogue in The Catch.jpg
Minogue in The Catch, a 2016 short film

Minogue auditioned for a part in the 2014 film What We Do in the Shadows . He was given the role of Officer Minogue in the film and continued the same role in the spin-off television series Wellington Paranormal . The show ran for four seasons until its final episode in 2022. [5] [6] Minogue won a New Zealand Television Award for this role in 2019. [7]

Minogue developed and starred in web/TV series The Water Cooler [3] in 2016. He has also produced a number of short films, and appeared in Hunt For The Wilderpeople as a hunter.

Radio Hauraki (2021–present)

In 2021, Minogue and Jason Hoyte began co-hosting the Radio Hauraki Drive Show. [8] The show introduced Chris Key and developed into Radio Hauraki's Big Show. [1] That same year, Minogue co-produced the thriller Coming Home in the Dark. [9]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011RageInspector Ted JamesTV movie
2015How to Murder Your WifeNervous BurgessTV movie
2016Doubt: The Scott Watson CaseDetective TTV movie
2016–2018The Water CoolerMichael6 episodes; writer/producer
2018–2022 Wellington Paranormal Officer MinogueMain role; writer
2022 My Life Is Murder RegEpisode: "It Takes Two"
2024MadamEddieEpisode 1.3
2024 Time Bandits Headface7 episodes

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009 Separation City Errol the Fireman
2012The CatchJohnShort
2012JackalsJimmyShort
2013The God PainterRichardShort
2014 What We Do in the Shadows Policeman
2014Can You Hear Me Now?MikeShort
2016 Hunt for the Wilderpeople Joe
2014CleaverThe HusbandShort
2021 Coming Home in the Dark Producer

References

  1. 1 2 "Radio Hauraki Big Show". Radio Hauraki . Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  2. "Nothing funny about Coming Home in the Dark for comedic actor Mike Minogue". Horowhenua Chronicle. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "At the Watercooler – NZ Web Fest" . Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  4. "Mike Minogue - StaffMeUp.com". Staff Me Up. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  5. "Wellington Paranormal star Mike Minogue on show's success and why shopping is now fun". Stuff. 2 October 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  6. "Wellington Paranormal's Mike Minogue talks strange fan encounters". Stuff. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  7. Screen, NZ On. "Awards | Wellington Paranormal | Series | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  8. "Introducing the ALL NEW Hauraki Drive Show with Jason Hoyte & Mike Minogue". Radio Hauraki . 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  9. "Mike Minogue". NZ On Screen . Retrieved 20 July 2025.