Pana Hema Taylor

Last updated
Pana Hema Taylor
Born1989 (age 3435)
Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation Actor
Years active2007 – present
Spouse
(m. 2009;div. 2013)
[1]
Children2

Pana Hema Taylor (born 1989) is a New Zealand television actor, best known for his roles in Spartacus , The Brokenwood Mysteries and Westside .

Contents

Early life

Pana Hema Taylor grew up in the town of Wairoa, where he became involved with the New Zealand street gang, Mongrel Mob. [2] [ better source needed ] In order to keep him from becoming a gang member, his parents, who had split up awhile before, decided that he should live with his father in Christchurch, New Zealand [2] where he attended Aranui High School. [3] In 2007, he won best actor for his role as Mercutio in the school's production of Romeo and Juliet . [4]

Career

Hema Taylor was first seen on TV in 2007 on the Māori language educational series Whanau. [3] He has since worked on various New Zealand feature films including Boy and Kawa . Hema Taylor is best known for his work in the Starz television series Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned , playing the role of the Syrian rebel Nasir. [5] In 2014 he was cast as Mana in the New Zealand action film The Dead Lands. [6]

He starred as Jared in The Brokenwood Mysteries series 1–6, and as Bert in Westside .

Personal life

In 2009, 20-year-old Hema Taylor met 38-year-old actress Danielle Cormack when she was the costume/set designer on a play he was in. The two have a son, Te Ahi Ka, born 19 March 2010. [7] They divorced in 2013.[ citation needed ]

In March 2015, Taylor and his partner Naomi Campbell had a daughter. [8]

Hema Taylor is of Māori (Ngāti Kahungunu) heritage.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007WhanauHarley
2007Ebony SocietyuncreditedShort film
2010RedemptionZigShort film
2010 Boy Juju
2010 Kawa Sebastian
2011 Good for Nothing Young Native American
2012 The Most Fun You Can Have Dying David
2014 The Dead Lands Mana

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012 Spartacus: Vengeance Tiberius / NasirSeries regular: 9 episodes
2013 Spartacus: War of the Damned NasirSeries regular: 10 episodes
2014–2019 The Brokenwood Mysteries Jared MorehuSeries regular: Series 1-6
2015–2020 Westside Bert ThompsonMain role
2016Dirty LaundryTane [9]
2017ResolveChris Crean
2019–present The Gulf RorySeries regular [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Lawless</span> New Zealand actress (born 1968)

Lucille Frances Lawless is a New Zealand actress. She is best known for her roles as Xena in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, as D'Anna Biers on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica series, and Lucretia in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and associated series. Since 2019, she has starred as Alexa in the television series My Life Is Murder.

Stephen Lovatt is a New Zealand actor, best known internationally for his portrayal of character Max Hoyland on the Australian soap Neighbours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonia Prebble</span> New Zealand actress

Antonia Mary Prebble is a New Zealand actress, best known for her role as Loretta West in the hit NZ comedy-drama Outrageous Fortune, as Trudy in The Tribe, as Jane in The Blue Rose, and as Rita West, the grandmother of her character in Outrageous Fortune, on the prequel series Westside. Internationally she's best known for her role as Clare Langtree, the Gatekeeper in the 2006 series Power Rangers Mystic Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Hadlow</span> Australian-New Zealand actor and comedian

Mark Selwyn Hadlow is an Australian-New Zealand actor and comedian. Hadlow is perhaps best known internationally for playing the roles of Harry in King Kong and Dori, a Dwarf, in The Hobbit series.

Timothy Guy Balme is a New Zealand actor and screenwriter. He's most well known for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult favourites Braindead and Jack Brown Genius. He was a writer and actor on the television series The Almighty Johnsons, and the creator and a writer for The Brokenwood Mysteries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Cormack</span> New Zealand actress

Danielle Cormack is a New Zealand stage and screen actress. She was one of the original cast members of the long-running soap opera Shortland Street, though she is also known for her role as the Amazon Ephiny in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess, Cynthia Ross in The Cult, and Shota in Legend of the Seeker. Other works include the 2009 film, Separation City, and the Australian series Rake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Mensah</span> Ghanaian-British actor

Peter Mensah is a Ghanaian-British actor, based in Canada. He is best known for his role as Oenomaus on the Starz television series Spartacus (2010–2013). He has also appeared in such films as Tears of the Sun, Hidalgo, The Incredible Hulk, 300, and Avatar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manu Bennett</span> Australian-New Zealand actor (born 1969)

Jonathan Manu Bennett is an Australian-New Zealand actor. He is primarily known for portraying characters in epic fantasy works, such as Crixus in the TV series Spartacus, Allanon in The Shannara Chronicles, Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in Arrow, and Azog the Defiler in The Hobbit trilogy.

<i>Boy</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Taika Waititi

Boy is a 2010 New Zealand comedy-drama film, written and directed by Taika Waititi. The film stars James Rolleston, Te Aho Aho Eketone-Whitu, and Waititi. It is produced by Cliff Curtis, Ainsley Gardiner and Emanuel Michael and financed by the New Zealand Film Commission. In New Zealand, the film eclipsed previous records for a first week's box office takings for local production. Boy went on to become the highest-grossing New Zealand film at the local box office. The soundtrack to Boy features New Zealand artists such as The Phoenix Foundation, who previously provided music for Waititi's film Eagle vs Shark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Te Maioha</span> New Zealand actor

Antonio Te Maioha is a television and film actor from New Zealand. He came to international prominence playing a gladiator Barca, the Beast of Carthage, in the television drama Spartacus: Blood and Sand and its prequel Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.

<i>Spartacus: Vengeance</i> Second season of television series

Spartacus: Vengeance is the second season of the American television series Spartacus, a Starz television series, which follows Spartacus: Blood and Sand. It premiered on January 27, and concluded on March 30, 2012. Its story follows Spartacus, after he and his fellow gladiators kill their master Batiatus and escape from his ludus, or gladiatorial training school. Cast members and characters who return from the first season include Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Peter Mensah as Oenomaus, Manu Bennett as Crixus, Dan Feuerriegel as Agron, Nick E. Tarabay as Ashur, Viva Bianca as Ilithyia, and Craig Parker as Gaius Claudius Glaber. Dustin Clare also reprises his role as Gannicus from Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, the prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Spartacus is an American historical drama television series filmed in New Zealand that premiered on Starz on January 22, 2010, and concluded on April 12, 2013. The fiction series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic departing from Capua. Executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Robert Tapert focused on structuring the events of Spartacus' obscure early life leading up to the beginning of historical records.

<i>Spartacus: War of the Damned</i> Third season of television series

Spartacus: War of the Damned is the third and final season of the American television series Spartacus, a Starz television series, which follows Spartacus: Vengeance. The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who, from 73 to 71 BC, led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. It premiered on January 25, 2013, and concluded on April 12, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashleigh Cummings</span> Australian actress

Ashleigh Cummings is an Australian actress. She became known for her role as Robyn Mathers in Tomorrow, When the War Began. The film, based on the book of the same name, earned Cummings a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards. Cummings is also known for her roles as Dorothy Williams in ABC1's Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, as Debbie Vickers in Puberty Blues, as Vic McQueen in NOS4A2, and as Abby Conroy in the spy action thriller series Citadel.

<i>Kawa</i> (film) 2010 New Zealand film

Kawa is a 2010 New Zealand film directed by Katie Wolfe originally titled Nights in the Gardens of Spain. The film stars Calvin Tuteao as Kawariki. A coming out film drama, it is based on the novel Nights in the Gardens of Spain by Witi Ihimaera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stacey Morrison</span> New Zealand broadcaster

Stacey Morrison is a New Zealand television and radio host. Morrison speaks fluent Te Reo Māori and is active in promoting Māori language, culture and health.

The Brokenwood Mysteries is a New Zealand television detective drama series that premiered on Prime in 2014. Each of the first six series comprises four distinct episodes. From Series 7, seasons were extended to six episodes. The programme is set in the fictitious New Zealand town of Brokenwood in the North Island and is filmed in the greater Auckland region. Tim Balme is the current showrunner, having conceived the series, while also working as head writer and producer.

JJ Fong is a New Zealand actress and producer. She is best known for her roles as Alice Lee in the hit NZ television programme Go Girls, Betty in the programme Step Dave and Jessica in the acclaimed NZ web series Flat3 and its subsequent spin-offs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nic Sampson</span> New Zealand actor, comedian, and writer

Nic Sampson is a New Zealand actor, comedian, and writer known for his roles as Chip Thorn, the Yellow Mystic Ranger on Power Rangers Mystic Force, Detective Constable Sam Breen on The Brokenwood Mysteries, and for the New Zealand sketch show Funny Girls.

Miriama McDowell is a New Zealand actor, director and playwright. She is a graduate of Toi Whakaari.

References

  1. "Wentworth star Danielle Cormack reconciled to 'judgement' over 'modern, blended family'". Stuff. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 "The Story of Pana Hema-Taylor". Matthew Warner. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Cast Profile - Kawa". Cinco Cine Productions. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  4. "Aranui pulls victory from tragedy". The Press. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  5. Itzkoff, Dave (18 January 2011). "He Is Spartacus: Liam McIntyre Talks About Taking Over in Season 2 of 'Blood and Sand'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  6. "The Dead Lands (2014)". IMDb.
  7. "Danielle Cormack: Love without barriers". NZ Woman's Weekly. 7 September 2010. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  8. Simich, Ricardo (26 June 2016). "Pana Hema-Taylor's Big Year". Herald on Sunday.
  9. "tv-one | Television New Zealand | Entertainment | TV One, TV2". Archived from the original on 1 October 2016.
  10. "The Gulf".