Manuka Luiten-Apirana

Actor / Commercial / Voice
Age Range

20—29

Height

170cm

Eye Colour

Brown

Hair Colour

Brown

Ethnicity

Māori / New Zealander

Based In

Auckland, New Zealand

Manuka Luiten-Apirana is the proud recipient of the 2021 Creative NZ Ngā Manu Pīrere Award, celebrating emerging young Māori artists.

Manuka is an actress, known for Head High (2020), Daughter of God (2022) and Fract (2016). imdb

She writes, acts, produces, and directs...Seemingly obsessively busy, Manuka a is a self-described hustler and to fund her art, she follows the money. “I like to make my own work, but there’s not a lot of money in it, so you also have to do lots of different things. I just go where the money is, so I might get an acting gig here, a writing gig there and a producing gig here. My schedule is all over the place.” Manuka grew up trotting the globe, studying at Ngata Memorial College and Gisborne Girls’ High School and as far away as Alaska. Doing as many youth do, she rebelled against her wandering childhood and decided she would settle in Auckland “for at least ten years” Gisborne Herald, August 2021

Manuka Luiten-Apirana

Artist Resume

Theatre

Year
Role
Production

2024

Ensemble

Kopu

Te Pou Theatre / Te Rehia Theatre

Dir. Amber Curreen

2021

Ti Ara

Te Mahi a Rahi - Kids Show

Te Pou Theatre

Dir. Tainui Tukiwaho

2019

Pargeia

Welcome to Thebes

Dir. Sara Brodie

Television

Year
Role
Production

2023

Mia

Nga Reta

Te Pou Theatre

Dir. Te Huamanuka Luiten-Apirana

2022

Marama

Educators 3

South Pacific Pictures Production Limited

2021

Shardae

Head High 2

South Pacific Pictures

Dir. Katie Wolfe

2020

Hannah

Ahikāroa

Kura Productions

Dir. Miriama McDowell

2020

Shardae

Head High

South Pacific Pictures

Dir. Tim Worrall

Short Film

Year
Role
Production

2020

Aroha

Daughter of God

Dir. Maza White

2019

Loren

Secret Santa

Dir. Angela Bloomfield / Kate McDermott

2017

Victim

The Claw

H2Ow

Dir. Hweiling Ow

2016

Forgotten

Forgotten

Cling Film

Dir. Liam Martin

2016

Lucy

Fract

Dir. Georgina Bloomfield

2015

Ruby

Unspoken

South Seas

Dir. Steff Mitchell

Musical Theatre

Year
Role
Production

2017

Ensemble

Expect the Unexpected

Auckland Music Theatre

Dir. Emma Bishop

Voice Over

Year
Role
Production

2021

Lead VO

Vocational Education - The Choice

Tertiary Education Commission

2020

Lead VO

Vocational Education - The Choice

Tertiary Education Commission

2019

Narrator

A Year In Your Sustainable Garden - Audio Book

Green Footprint

Dir. Clare Jackson

Awards

Year
Role
Production

2021

Recipient

Ngā Manu Pīrere - In recognition of achievement by a young emerging Māori artist

Creative NZ

Commercial

Year
Role
Production

2021

Presenter

Vocational Education - The Choice

Tertiary Education Commission

2020

Presenter

Vocational Education - The Choice

Tertiary Education Commission

Documentary

Year
Role
Production

2017

Toni (reenactment)

Lost and Found

Warner Brothers

Dir. Jocelyn Bunch

2016

Gina (re-enactment)

Lost and Found

Warner Brothers

Dir. Jocelyn Bunch

Training

Year
Role
Production

2022

Actor

Master Class Series - You and the Camera

The RBA Studio

Dir. with Ian Mune & Elena Stejko

2019

Student

Acting - 1 yr intensive full time

The Actors Program

Dir. Michelle Hine - Artistic Director