Rene Naufahu

Rene Naufahu (born May 1970) is a New Zealand-born actor, screenwriter and director of Tongan and Samoan heritage.

Rene Naufahu
Born
Lee Rene Naufahu

May 1970 (age 50)
New Zealand
Years active1992–present
Notable credit(s)
Sam Aleni in Shortland Street
Emperor Gruumm in Power Rangers S.P.D.
Mentor Ji in Power Rangers Samurai/Super Samurai

Career

Naufahu is perhaps best known for being an original cast member of the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, playing paramedic Sam Aleni for the show's first four years. In the United States, he is better known for portraying various characters in the Power Rangers franchise, such as Emperor Grumm of Power Rangers S.P.D. and Mentor Ji from Power Rangers Samurai and Power Rangers Super Samurai.

In 2006, at the Air New Zealand Screen Awards, he won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role as Erasmus, in the Toa Fraser film No.2. The film won the Audience Award, World Cinema - Dramatic, after sellout screenings at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2005, he co-wrote television drama The Market with Brett Ihaka, and Matthew Grainger. He was also one of the show's directors, alongside Damon Fepulea'i, and Geoff Cawthorn.

He attended the Amsterdam-based Binger Institute's Script Development program in 2003.

Naufahu's first feature film as director is crime thriller The Last Saint, which began filming in September 2013.

Criminal convictions

On 1 September 2017, Naufahu pleaded guilty in Auckland's District Court to six charges of indecent assault. The charges related to six women who attended private acting lessons conducted by Naufahu in Auckland between 2011 and 2013.[1][2][3] In January 2018 he was sentenced to one year of home detention. Naufahu had an earlier conviction for common assault and wilful damage arising from an altercation in a Christchurch bar in 2001, for which he was fined by the court.[4][5][6]

Filmography

Film
YearFilmRole
2006Naming Number TwoErasmus
2003 The Matrix Revolutions Zion Gate Operator
The Matrix Reloaded Zion Gate Operator

Television
YearSeriesRoleNote
1992-96, 2014Shortland StreetParamedic Sam Aleni
1997Hercules: The Legendary JourneysAdamusThe Lady and the Dragon
1998All SaintsGary Headley"The Hard Yards"
1998-2000Tales of the South SeasMauriri Lepau
2000BeastmasterMataffa"Tears of the Sea"
2003Always GreenerNathan Little"Flesh for Fantasy"
"The Always Greener Variety Hour".
2005Power Rangers S.P.D.Emperor Gruumm
2011-12Power Rangers SamuraiMentor Ji
2014Power Rangers Super MegaforceMentor Ji"Samurai Surprise"
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gollark: !time <@319753218592866315>
gollark: They are not really identical to non-transgender people of the same gender in some important ways.
gollark: What's meant to be *positive* bias?
gollark: That also has a ton of connotations.

References
  1. Hurley, Sam (1 September 2017). "Former Shortland Street star Rene Naufahu admits sex charges". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017.
  2. "Shortland Street actor Rene Naufahu admits six charges of indecent assault". Stuff. 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017.
  3. "Actor Rene Naufahu will wait until next year to be sentenced for indecent assault". New Zealand Herald. 8 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 December 2017.
  4. Sam Hurley; Anna Leask (23 January 2018). "Former Shortland Street actor Rene Naufahu sentenced for indecent assault". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018.
  5. "Naufahu brothers on bar charges". New Zealand Herald. 17 August 2001. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018.
  6. "Brothers admit bar charges". New Zealand Herald. 26 October 2001. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018.


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