Robbie Magasiva
Robbie Magasiva | |
|---|---|
 Magasiva in 2013 | |
| Born | Robbie Joseph Magasiva 21 May 1972 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Spouse |
Anna Magasiva
(m. 2006; div. 2011) |
| Partner(s) | Alice Gordon Natalie Medlock (2011–2022) Kelly Mackey (2024-present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Pua Magasiva (brother, deceased) and 4 siblings |
Robbie Joseph Magasiva (born 21 May 1972) is a Samoan-New Zealander actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and in theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Zealand's Tagata Pasifika with famed athlete, Beatrice Faumuina. Magasiva is also known for his role on Shortland Street as Dr. Maxwell Avia, which he played from June 2009 to July 2012, and for his role as Will Jackson on the prison drama series, Wentworth (an adaptation of the women's prison drama Prisoner). Magasiva is the only male actor to appear in all 8 seasons; he appeared in all 100 episodes of the show.
Biography[edit]
Magasiva, born in Wellington, New Zealand, was raised in a small community west of Apia, Samoa called Tanumapua. His family moved back to New Zealand permanently when he was 10 years old.[1]
After leaving school, he tried his hand at theatre sports and acted in commercials while working as a receptionist at an advertising agency.[2]
Acting career[edit]
Magasiva had his start on television during the 1990s, beginning with comedy. In 1999, he portrayed Mason Keeler in Jackson's Wharf. In 2001 he starred in his first major film, Stickmen, and joined the Naked Samoans. In 2002, he played Mauhúr in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He returned to television in the show The Strip, continued his work with the Naked Samoans, and made a minor appearance in Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, also starring his brother Pua as the brother of Pua's character of Shane Clarke. In 2006, Magasiva co-starred in Sione's Wedding, a comedy film that achieved commercial success in New Zealand. In 2007 he co-starred in the horror film The Tattooist.
Shortland Street[edit]
He joined the cast of Shortland Street as Dr. Maxwell Avia in 2009.[3] The character was originally called Maxwell Novak but changed to Avia to relate his Samoan descent.[4] He left the series in 2012; he later reprised his role for a one-off appearance in September 2015.
Wentworth[edit]
In October 2012, Magasiva was cast in the new Australian drama series Wentworth, a re-imaging of the classic show Prisoner. He plays Officer Will Jackson. The character's background was also changed when he was cast (originally meant to be an Australian officer).[5] In 2016, he guest starred in TVNZ's Dirty Laundry.[6]
In 2021, Magasiva stars on the Paramount+ Australia original series, Spreadsheet.[7]
Robbie in 2022 appeared alongside several members of the Wentworth cast at WentworthCon Melbourne.[8]
Other projects[edit]
In 2023 Magasiva gave an extensive interview about his acting career with podcast series MandateNZ[9] where he revealed he almost quit acting to become a firefighter after he finished filming Wentworth.
Magasiva was named in the upcoming cast of NZ drama Madam [10]..
In 2024, Magasiva was cast in Fox Lifeguard series Rescue HI-Surf.[11][12]
Personal life[edit]
Magasiva is the first son of Salafa and Taufaiula Ropati Magasiva. He has four brothers, Stevan, Miki, twins Pua and Tanu, and adopted sister Trina Magasiva. He inspired his younger brother (Pua) to become an actor, landing him an audition for an alcohol awareness commercial.[13]
Pua died aged 38 on 11 May 2019. As a result, Robbie Magasiva flew to Wellington to be with his family.[14] Later he opened up about the devastating loss of his brother and raised mental health awareness.[15]
He has two children, born in 1996 and 2000. Both reside in Auckland, and he looks after the kids week-on, week-off with their mother, Alice Gordon.[16]
In 2011, Magasiva began dating Shortland Street co-star, Natalie Medlock. They first met in 2009 while performing in a play called "Christ Almighty!".[17] Medlock recalls it was her costume that earned Magasiva's heart.[18] In 2015, the pair went on stage again with Christ Almighty with the Wentworth cast[19] to raise money for the homeless. The couple attributes love and therapy for their long-term relationship.[20]
Previously he was married to Anna Magasiva, whom he met while he was a receptionist.[21]
In 2024, Magasiva revealed that he had moved to the US and is in a relationship with actress Kelly Mackey.[22]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tiger Country | Television film | |
| 2001 | Stickmen | Jack | |
| 2002 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Mauhúr | |
| 2006 | Sione's Wedding | Michael | |
| In Her Line of Fire | Petelo | ||
| 2007 | The Ferryman | Craig (Man in Club) | |
| The Tattooist | Alipati | ||
| Perfect Creature | Frank | ||
| 2011 | Tea Party | Sanjay | Short film |
| 2012 | Sione's 2: Unfinished Business | Michael | |
| Tatau | Old Siaki | Short film | |
| Milk & Honey | Constable Salevao | Short film | |
| 2015 | Now Add Honey | Chef Sebastian Tasi | |
| 2020 | Lowdown Dirty Criminals | Semo | |
| 2021 | Going Going (The Moon is Upside Down) | Tim | |
| 2023 | A Mistake | Michael Gavin | |
| Bad Behaviour | Lawrence |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–1991 | Shark in the Park | Uninformed branch | 14 episodes | |
| 1993 | Skitzo | Various Characters | ||
| 1996 | Telly Laughs | Various Characters | ||
| 1998 | The Semisis | Lagi | ||
| 1999 | Jackson's Wharf | Mason Keeler | 9 episodes | |
| 2002–2003 | The Strip | Adam Lima | 32 episodes | |
| 2003 | Power Rangers: Ninja Storm | Porter Clarke | Episode: "Eye of the Storm" | |
| 2006 | Doves of War | Xavier Collins | Episode: "Episode #1.6" | |
| 2008 | Burying Brian | Tony | 2 episodes | |
| 2009 | Diplomatic Immunity | Prince To'omai | 2 episodes | |
| 2009–2015 | Shortland Street | Maxwell Avia | ||
| 2012 | Auckland Daze | Robbie | 3 episodes | |
| 2013 | Offspring | Ugly Pete | Episode: "Numbing the Pain" | |
| 2013–2021 | Wentworth | Will Jackson | 8 seasons (100 episodes) | |
| 2016 | Black Comedy | Guest Cast | Episode: "Episode #2.6" | |
| Dirty Laundry | Jackson | 7 episodes | ||
| 2019 | Wentworth: Behind the Bars | Self | TV Special | |
| 2020 | Wentworth: Behind the Bars 2 | |||
| 2021 | Wentworth: Unlocked | |||
| Spreadsheet | Jake | Main character | ||
| 2021-23 | Under the Vines | Robert The Builder | 3 Episodes | [23] |
| 2022 | My Life Is Murder | Hamish | 1 Episode | [24] |
| Duckrockers | Ropati | 4 Episodes | ||
| 2023 | MandateNZ | Self | Podcast series 1 episode | [25] |
| 2024 | Madam | Lima | [26] | |
| 2024 | Dark City-The Cleaner | DI Carl Schroder | ||
| 2024-25 | Rescue: HI-Surf | Harlan 'Sonny' Jennings | In production |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Robbie Magasiva heads for Hollywood". Stuff. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "Watch Shortland Street On Demand". TVNZ. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "Robbie is coming! « SHORTLAND STREET « tvnz.co.nz". Archived from the original on 23 May 2009.
- ^ "The Name Game". TVNZ. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017.
- ^ Morrell, McKenzie (14 September 2015). "'Wentworth' star Robbie Magasiva talks Season 3, Will/Bea relationship and pilot season in America". NoWhiteNoise. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "Robbie Magasiva & Polly talk about Dirty Laundry". www.thehits.co.nz. Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Molk, Steve (11 July 2021). "Spreadsheet commissioned as first Aussie production for Paramount+". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ Knox, David (20 September 2022). ""The Wentworth community is very strong"". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ Robbie Magasiva | Talking to a legend in NZ TV and film | Ep.51, retrieved 1 October 2023
- ^ Keast, Jackie (29 September 2023). "Rachel Griffiths to lead NZ dramedy 'Madam'". if.com.au.
- ^ "Fox Sets Cast for Lifeguard Drama Series 'Rescue: Hi Surf'". Yahoo News. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "'Rescue HI-Surf': Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos & Robbie Magasiva Among 7 Cast in Fox Series". 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Pua Magasiva plays Santa in Shortland St special". Stuff. 9 December 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ Herald, N. Z. (11 May 2019). "Former Shortland Street star Pua Magasiva dead at 38". News.com.au. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "Robbie Magasiva Opens up About the Devastating Loss of His Beloved Brother Pua".
- ^ "New Zealand Woman's Weekly". Now To Love. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "The Basement Presents Christ Almighty | Scoop News".
- ^ "SnapChat: Natalie Medlock won Robbie Magasiva's heart by 'flashing her merkin'". 13 January 2024.
- ^ "Wentworth cast lend a hand for the homeless | TV Tonight". 26 November 2015.
- ^ "Depression, Anxiety and Devotion: Robbie Magasiva and Natalie Medlock on How Love and Therapy Saved Them".
- ^ "Doctor of comedy". Stuff. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ Pearson, John. "i-wouldnt-have-healed-properly-if-i-hadnt-gone-through-tough-time". www.waikatotimes.co.nz. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand Television: Under the Vines". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Australian Television: My Life is Murder: series 3 cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Robbie Magasiva | Talking to a legend in NZ TV and film | Ep.51, retrieved 29 May 2023
- ^ Knox, David (29 September 2023). "Rachel Griffiths leads NZ dramedy Madam | TV Tonight". TV Tonight.
External links[edit]
- Robbie's biography and screenography on NZ On Screen
- Robbie Magasiva at IMDb
- "Upfront: Robbie Magasiva". New Zealand Listener. 29 April – 5 May 2006.
- "The naked truth about heartthrob Robbie". Black Magic. 19 March 2006. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007.
- 1972 births
- 20th-century New Zealand male actors
- 21st-century New Zealand male actors
- Actors of Samoan descent
- New Zealand expatriates in Australia
- New Zealand male film actors
- New Zealand male television actors
- New Zealand people of Samoan descent
- New Zealand television presenters
- Living people
- People educated at St. Patrick's College, Wellington