Unitec acting and screen arts students from Creative Industries were treated to an exclusive Q&A with Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis on Monday. It was hosted via Zoom at the Building 12 Film & Television screening room and was organised by Screen Arts lecturer Sima Urale, who has returned to teach at Unitec after a few years away.
A friend and former classmate of Curtis (Te Arawa and Ngāti Hauiti) from drama school, Sima said the Q&A went really well and there were plenty of questions from the students.
“They were hanging on every word he said,” she said. Curtis imparted pearls of wisdom and advice to the students while sharing his experiences training as an actor and working in Hollywood.
Curtis has featured in many local and international film and television production since getting his break in Once Were Warriors in 1994. He is also the co-owner of the independent New Zealand production company Whenua Films. This year, he will appear alongside Hollywood A-Listers Hugh Jackman, and Thandie Newton in a new Sci-fi feature, Reminiscence. He will also star in the greatly anticipated Avatar sequels (set for release in 2022 and 2024) which were filmed in New Zealand last year.
What an awesome, inspiring session. Would love an invite to the next one please:)
Kia ora Darlene,
For sure, gutted I missed it too. We had our pohiri and wananga on at the same time this was happening.