Westside promo shot of Jordan Mooney (Eric), Patrick Tafa (Falani),Reef Ireland (Wolf), and Caleb Wells (Sparky).
Westside promo shot of Jordan Mooney (Eric), Patrick Tafa (Falani),Reef Ireland (Wolf), and Caleb Wells (Sparky).
When filming for the final episode wrapped, the gang from Westside got matching tattoos to celebrate the lifelong friendships they had formed.
Reef Ireland (Wolfgang), Jordan Mooney (Eric), Patrick Tafa (Falani), and Caleb Wells (Sparky), struck up a bromance in the second series of the show, when Ireland arrived from Australia to take on the role of the young Wolfgang West.
"Six years is a long time to do a show together, so naturally we've all become lifelong friends," says Mooney.
"There's been countless beers, endless laughs and more sleepovers than a bunch of 12-year-old kids."
Mooney suggested they all get inked and everyone was keen.
"We travelled down to Hamilton to get it done on the day of the wrap party, which was fitting. The rest is history. Tied together for life," says Mooney.
The four were struggling with a concept until Wells came up with a final idea - all four of their characters mashed together into an 80s-style cartoon, a wolf smoking a joint, wearing a lavalava and with his hand on fire.
Behold! The mark of the "Westie fellowship".
These Westside actors are not the first cast members from a television show to cement their memories of a series in ink. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul got commemorative tattoos after their time on hit series, Breaking Bad and, after filming for The Lord of the Rings trilogy ended, nine cast members had the word "nine" in Elvish tattooed, including Sir Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom.
"We never talked about the Breaking Bad tats but there was chat about the LOTR's cast getting matching ones, so I guess we're the Westie fellowship," Mooney said.
Each actor has his tattoo in a different place, depending on where they thought it would be easiest to hide when required for future roles but the result is something the boys will all treasure for life.
For Kiwi-born, Australian-raised Reef, the tattoo also further cements his connection to New Zealand.
"I would say I feel more Kiwi now," he says. "I owe so much to Australia, I loved growing up there it's awesome, they're both great countries and I love both of the places. But I do feel Kiwi at heart. I still haven't forgiven Australia for the underarm bowl in cricket, so I'm saying Team Kiwi for now."
Patrick Tafa (Falani), Reef Ireland (Wolf), Jordan Mooney (Eric) and Caleb Wells (Sparky) show off their ink.
The boys promise that the last series of Westside will deliver everything that fans of the show expect when it launches on Three next Monday.
"I guess there is probably a heightened emotional level through the whole series this time round," says Mooney.
"There is an intensity to this series that will definitely leave audiences on the edge of their seat."
