Actor Robbie Magasiva was intrigued to learn about his genetic heritage on the new series of DNA Detectives. As his two children near adulthood, the 45-year-old empty-nester is enjoying having time to take up hobbies like motorbike riding and surfing.
1. What was your childhood like?
I grew up in Wellington. When I was 5 we moved back to Samoa for five years. Dad was getting bad asthma attacks here so he decided to go back home. He got a bit of land from family, just bush, excavated it and put a taro plantation down. It was very basic. We stayed in a shack for years. The aim was to be self-sufficient but Dad ended up getting a job as a bank manager as well. I remember walking everywhere. The nearest bus stop was about 5km away.
2. Was it hard coming back to New Zealand at age 10?
I remember being on the plane and my brother Pua, who was a baby, doing this massive dump that stunk out the row. That's ingrained in my memory. When I went over I could only speak English but when I came back I could only speak Samoan. The English came back quite quickly and all the kids would say, "You don't sound like a FOB". We moved in with our aunty and uncle. There were nine cousins all in the same house - five boys in one room. That was just the norm back in the day. Most of the time you were outside anyway until you got called in for dinner.
3. When did you discover acting?
The Strathmore Primary talent quest; I remember performing and all the kids laughing and clapping. I just loved it. At Marist Holy Cross I did musicals. My sixth form drama teacher picked three of us Polynesian boys to audition for a commercial his friend was casting. On the bus trip there me and my mates Henry and Noel all said, "If you get it I'll be happy for you" to each other. At the audition they asked us to walk down a corridor and act excited as each door opened on to a new career. I was the tallest and as soon as they said "action", I was right out the front going, "Ooh, I could do that! Ooh! Ahh!" I was in the moment. On the bus trip home the boys were really quiet. I said, "How do you think you went?" and Henry goes, "I don't know. I wasn't seen. Someone hogged the camera." He still brings up that story.
4. Did your parents have any concerns about you becoming an actor?
No, and I'm grateful for that. The thing I had on my side was I was good at rugby. I got to representative level and was approached by some NRL clubs. Choosing acting was easy. I enjoyed the social element of rugby but in my heart I wanted to be an actor. I already had a foot in the door and was getting regular work. There were very few Polynesian actors around, so me and Dave Fane got most of the roles.
