David Wikaira-Paul
Encyclopedia
David Wikaira-Paul played Tama Hudson on New Zealand television series Shortland Street
.
Other theatre credits include Late Nights with Tuakau College, and Buggy Wonderland and The Miraculous Fairy Tale with the Kaleidescope Performing Arts Company. Moving to Auckland
, David signed with an acting agency and was soon cast in Shortland Street. Over the years his performance as Tama gained him great popularity throughout New Zealand, especially with younger viewers.
Like many of the cast, David is also very musically talented. His hip hop group Medical Clan won the prestigious South Side Gig in both 2000 and 2003, and he has written several songs for on-screen alter ego Tama to perform on Shortland Street.
Medical Clan recently performed as part of TV2's 24 hour live music show, National Anthem. David has also appeared in the Maori mystery television series Mataku, which was made by Shortland Street's parent company, South Pacific Pictures
. David was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
in 2006.
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
.
Biography
David joined the cast of Shortland Street in 2001 to play fresh-faced 14-year-old Tama Hudson, a high school student. David himself had already left school and completed a year of tertiary education at Northland Polytechnic. He graduated from the Polytechnic in 2000 with a Certificate in Applied Arts, Music and Drama, having played the lead role in their production of Te Ngaru Nui.Other theatre credits include Late Nights with Tuakau College, and Buggy Wonderland and The Miraculous Fairy Tale with the Kaleidescope Performing Arts Company. Moving to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, David signed with an acting agency and was soon cast in Shortland Street. Over the years his performance as Tama gained him great popularity throughout New Zealand, especially with younger viewers.
Like many of the cast, David is also very musically talented. His hip hop group Medical Clan won the prestigious South Side Gig in both 2000 and 2003, and he has written several songs for on-screen alter ego Tama to perform on Shortland Street.
Medical Clan recently performed as part of TV2's 24 hour live music show, National Anthem. David has also appeared in the Maori mystery television series Mataku, which was made by Shortland Street's parent company, South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures is a television production company based in New Zealand. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market....
. David was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a New Zealand television series based on the British series Strictly Come Dancing. The show introduces eight local celebrities paired with professional ballroom danceers who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges and the viewing...
in 2006.