Pictures: Robert Trathen
As Dr Esther Samuels on Shortland Street, Ngahuia Piripi has dealt with more than her fair share of emotional storylines throughout her nine years on the soap – and the drama isn’t going away any time soon, with the hospital boss currently juggling heart problems, burnout and family issues.
Similarly, life outside of Ferndale isn’t exactly peaceful for the stunning actress, 34, who is always striving to strike the perfect balance between her busy career and her home life with her longtime partner and former Shorty co-star Teone Kahu.
Their worlds revolve around their beautiful blended whānau, including their son Niau, almost three, and daughter Aewa, 18 months, as well as Ngahuia’s 15-year-old girl Owairea, and Teone’s daughter Neila, 12.
“My family is everything,” the actress tells Woman’s Day. “In this industry, you have to make you sure you are very intentional and committed to the things that matter. For me, that’s always whānau.”
Thankfully, the births of Ngahuia’s two youngest children weren’t as traumatic as Esther’s pregnancies. However, that’s not to say they didn’t have their moments of drama. Aewa’s speedy delivery on Boxing Day 2023 is one worth mentioning.
Their gorgeous little girl wasn’t due until New Year’s Day, but decided to make an early appearance, shares Ngahuia. She went into labour on Christmas night, just after she and Teone had hosted friends for dinner.
“We headed to hospital early the next morning and everything happened so fast. Aewa was born within a couple of hours and we were back home by mid-morning. I remember joking as we left the hospital, ‘What do we do now? Go for McDonald’s?!’”
Teone, 32, reveals their time at the hospital was so brief, they didn’t even use all the time on their parking ticket. “No one believed us when we told them we were home with our new baby!”
Given Boxing Day is also Ngahuia’s birthday, the date is now a double celebration for the family. “Aewa stole my day,” laughs the bubbly star.
Meanwhile, she describes Niau’s birth as “slightly terrifying”. He was born at the height of a level 4 COVID lockdown in 2021.
She recalls, “Only Teone and I were allowed at the hospital, and we had to stay in our room until Niau arrived. Luckily, I didn’t have any complications and we were all back home a few hours after he was born.”
Asked about the toddlers’ personalities, Ngahuia doesn’t hesitate. “Chalk and cheese!” she says. “Aewa is the little boss of the house. But they both love the outdoors and jumping in puddles. Aewa changes her outfits about five times a day!”
Teone adds, “Aewa is such a force. Maybe that comes from her fast arrival or Ngahuia working right up until a few days before she was born, but she definitely loves to tackle the world head on. Meanwhile, Niau is a quiet, chill boy, like me. He enjoys the simple things, like playing with a ball, books and eating. I joke that they’ll name a trophy after Niau and a cyclone after Aewa!”
As for Owairea and Neila, Ngahuia grins, “Both the girls are such proud big sisters. Owairea is like a second mum to Niau and Aewa, and they sometimes prefer her to Mum and Dad. We call Owairea the baby whisperer.”
Neila lives with her mum in Christchurch and they love when she visits them at home in Auckland to create “awesome family memories”, continues Ngahuia. “Although we have limited time all together as a whānau, we want it to be special, so we try to create great moments that will stick with the tamariki and last a lifetime.”
Blended families have their challenges, but when it all works out, it’s a “beautiful thing”, explains Teone, who played Dr Hawks Logan on Shorty. “We’ve found it does take time to build all the relationships, but it’s so worth it. The kids gain a different perspective on life and their parents. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Amid their busy schedules, the family tries to focus on the simple pleasures, like food, which Ngahuia says is the whānau’s love language.
“We both love to cook and sitting around the table sharing kai is the one thing we live by. If anyone is in a bad mood, they’re always in a better mood once they’ve sat down and eaten with everyone.”
When it comes to prioritising their own relationship, the actors ensure they have coffee together every morning. They also like to seek out “new restaurants where they don’t take children” for date nights, grins Ngahuia, who is of Te Rarawa descent.
The self-confessed foodies are big fans of kaimoana, and Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. However, they always love to try anything new, she adds. “Teone used to say, ‘I eat to fuel and you eat to enjoy.’ But now he’s jumped ship!”
Their strong partnership and glass-half-full optimism help the couple get through any tough times.
“We’re also so grateful to have such an amazing village of whānau and friends who support us,” tells Ngahuia. “But we understand that is not a reality for everyone.”
Teone agrees they don’t take the extra help for granted. He adds they often “order in a few extra flat whites” when they need to call in babysitting favours. He says Shorty is also an “awesome workplace” for Ngahuia, providing her with the support she needs to balance being an on-screen hospital boss and busy off-screen mum.
“The fact we work together in the film and television industry also helps us to handle the controlled chaos,” tells Teone. “We support each other, push each other and want each other to do well in whatever we do.”
Teone, who has Te Pakakohi, Ngāti Wheke and Ngāti Kahu heritage, is currently part of a team organising locations for a top-secret international production being filmed in New Zealand. Along with a business partner, he has also recently launched Te Agency. It’s a talent company specialising in extras or background actors.
“We noticed a huge gap in the market, particularly for Māori and Pasifika actors and crew, who sometimes undervalue themselves. We want to upskill them, as well as represent them, creating higher value talent who are well looked after.”
Although he’s taken a break from acting lately, Teone has now signed with a new agency, GCM, which also has international stars Taika Waititi and Rebecca Gibney on its books, and he’s excited to be getting back in front of the camera.
Meanwhile, as she approaches the 10th anniversary of her arrival in Ferndale, Ngahuia says she’s proudest of working right through her two pregnancies, during which she had some incredibly challenging storylines.
“I also love being part of the Samuels family dynasty,” she smiles. “To think we create a world where people sit down at night and fall into someone else’s story is a real highlight.”
She’s unfazed by the news that, come next year, Shorty will be going down from five to three episodes a week.
“With change comes opportunity. I think the new schedule will give us the chance to make the episodes even better,” she insists. Ngahuia later adds that she hopes Esther will continue to be a strong role model for female viewers.
“Running a hospital is tough work and running a family is tough work. It’s wonderful to see a successful Māori woman doing both on our show,” she enthuses. “I hope viewers are inspired when they look at Esther, and also see the potential and success in themselves.”
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