The Traitors NZ: Three stars to watch - Spy

Watch out for these three stars in the new season of The Traitors NZ.

Ricardo Simich got a sneak peek at the new season of The Traitors NZ.

Three traitors have sparked Spy’s interest after the exclusive preview screening of The Traitors NZ at Event Cinemas in Newmarket on Wednesday night. It seems Hollywood star Melanie Lynskey may have inspired a treacherous streak in one of the contestants.

Amongst the clamour of 22 everyday contestants vying for $100,000 in season two, three contestants stand out from the throng - Tauranga council manager Wiremu Tapara, 32, the not-so-everyday Auckland content creator Brittany Cunningham, 32, and Wellington actor Ben Porter, 22.

Porter, who has recently moved to Sydney, played Milo Cross on Shortland Street - the troubled teen who became the shooter in the soap’s winter cliffhanger last year.  Porter made headlines at the start of this year, believing his murderous character had led to his car being targeted with a break-in and vandalism.

Wellington actor Ben Porter admits to receiving tips from the winner of The Traitors UK's second season, Harry Clark.

Between Shorty and shooting The Traitors, which filmed a few months ago, Porter filmed Pike River in Greymouth with Lynskey, Robyn Malcolm and Lucy Lawless.

“I actually got put on to the scent of the show by some lovely new work friends I made while filming Pike River,” says Porter.

“Mel and Jason had us around for some dinner and a few games of Mafia (which is very similar to the concept of the show) and I was fully invested.

“It was so, so much fun.”

Porter admits he had to be a bit sneaky and tell a teeny-tiny white lie when it came to his job.

“Let’s be honest, in a game where you’re trying to figure out who the traitors are, saying you pretend to be other people for a living isn’t gonna be that helpful.”

So keen was he to play a good game, Porter also confessed to getting in touch with winner of the second season of The Traitors UK, Harry Clark. “I got some ‘hypothetical’ tips and tricks. I figured if I was going to give it a go, I may as well yarn to the best of the best.”

The game was more difficult than Porter thought; he found it a lot harder to pick things apart in the moment, at the infamous round table where the faithfuls vote out the traitors. Porter says the immense pressure brought him to tears.

Auckland content creator Brittany Cunningham says her intuition gives her an edge in the game.

For TikTok star Cunningham - who has over 400,000 followers who watch her cleaning and renovating alongside being a wife and mum of three - she saw her occupation as a strength to the game, with her life revolving around multi-tasking, problem-solving and following her intuition.

Missing her family also became a weakness, and she says the experience was emotionally taxing on so many levels. “I’m never going to be the loudest person in the room,” says Cunningham. “It’s not in my nature, and also, my voice tends to be on the quieter side.”

She says in a big group dynamic she can feel anxious, which means it can sometimes take her a bit to warm up. “This can be a good thing as I quietly observe; but it can also come across as suspicious in a game like The Traitors.

“But when I connect with someone, and feel comfortable, you can’t shut me up.”

Tauranga council manager Wiremu Tapara is a unique addition to the group.

Tapara played the game as an open book, saying not much of his previous work nor his current job as a council manager would create an element of suspicion in the average person.

From studiously watching all the overseas versions, Tapara learned an endgame rule - to strongly befriend a traitor if he were to be a faithful, or strongly befriend a faithful if he were to be a traitor.

“I am pretty calm in most situations, which helps me to remain rational and clear of thought,” says Tapara. “My work requires this, but it’s also a trait I’ve had since I was young.”

“This is crucial for a game of influence and manipulation, such as this one, as if you can’t control your own emotions, how do you expect to be able to influence those of others?”

What Tapara did struggle with was controlling his body language “I was a jittery mess, which was super-unusual for me,” he says. “However, I tried my best to keep calm on the surface.”

The second season of The Traitors NZ begins airing on Three and Three Now on Monday, July 1.