Cohen Holloway entertains at business breakfast

Cohen Holloway

While most people in Kapiti were inside during the two-day rain storm last month which waterlogged the district, actor Cohen Holloway was waging war in the Akatarawa Forest.

Cohen, the guest speaker at an Electra business breakfast on Southward Car Museum on Wednesday, was taking part in a documentary featuring the American Civil War.

"I think two of the days we shot there was the most rainfall the Akakatarawas had ever had," said the actor, who played a general in the doco.

Cohen, who lives in Paraparaumu with his partner and two children, ditched his banking career at age 26 and trained at the New Zealand Drama School, graduating in 2001.

"And then started out with Jemaine, Taika, Rhys and all those sorts of guys, who're all multi millionaires and I'm still in Pram," joked the actor who is a stand up comedian too.

Cohen moved to the district when he was aged 30 so his partner could take up a kindergarten teaching role.

"We love it here and it is great for kids.

"Everything has happened while I have been here," he said, citing things like the aquatic centre and expressway.

He likes to give back to the community by performing comedy shows locally, including bringing fellow comedians to the coast.

Cohen's sharp wit had the business breakfast audience in stitches of laughter with his many anecdotes as well as impersonations of famous people including David Lange, John Campbell and Temuera Morrison.

He started doing impersonations at school after his cheeky personality used to get him roughed up by others.

"I had to find a strategy to survive and that was impersonations.

"I used to impersonate all the kids that beat me up, and then I became their friends, and then I had power."

Having parents who were psychiatric nurses helped too.

"Dad said 'don't listen to the voices. Let them out'," he joked.

Cohen earns a living by doing various film and television roles, stand up comedy, corporate events through to voice over work [he is the voice of the Beaurepaires dog].

He was asked what his advice was for budding actors and actresses.

"Everyone has got talent, but it's that drive to keep doing it because it is the down times that are the hardest."

The world was smaller thanks to social media, which meant people "didn't have to do the hard theatre yards like I did".

"It's all about how many people you have following you these days."