Man about town Ricardo Simich brings you Society Insider. This week, Brad Pitt is in Queenstown with tight security and privacy measures; Pals founder’s surprise superyacht proposal; Wilhelmina Shrimpton and Ben O’Keeffe’s engagement party; Caitlin O’Sullivan and Tom Foley wed; Seeby Woodhouse and Michaiah Simmons
Society Insider: Brad Pitt’s in NZ, but where is he hiding?; Pals founder’s superyacht proposal; tech millionaire Seeby Woodhouse’s BFF; Wilhelmina Shrimpton’s engagement party
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Wilhelmina Shrimpton and Ben O'Keeffe celebrated their engagement; Pals co-founder Mat Croad surprised partner Rachel Needham with an unexpected proposal; Brad Pitt is in Queenstown but keeping a low profile; Seeby Woodhouse and Michaiah Simmons are best friends and now flatmates, too. Photo / Herald composite
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Pitt arrived directly into Queenstown three weeks ago with his entourage and has not been seen by the public since.
The 61-year-old heart-throb is in New Zealand to film action and adventure movie Heart of the Beast, a story about a former Navy Seal and his retired combat dog attempting to return to civilisation after suffering an accident deep in the wilderness.
Before that, however, Pitt is said to have been filming a television commercial in scenic south Otago, believed to be for a De’Longhi Global Campaign.
In 2021, Pitt became a global ambassador for the Italian kitchen appliance company that makes espresso machines and coffee makers.
In past De’Longhi commercials, he has ridden a motorbike on the California Coast and driven a retro convertible in the Italian countryside.
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Sources say that Pitt is renting an extremely private luxury residence, with room for his security, thought to be just out of Arrowtown.
Pitt’s girlfriend of more than two years, Swiss jewellery professional Ines de Ramon, is thought to be arriving in Queenstown halfway through the shoot.
Don’t expect to see Pitt out and about at the local bars.
Sources say if he does venture out for dinner, it will be pre-arranged with one of the private rooms on offer in some of Queenstown and Arrowtown’s best restaurants. Venues with private rooms include Botswana Butchery and Amisfield and for a slightly larger affair, The Barrel Room at Ayrburn.
Any local workers involved in the TV commercial or the movie are said to have signed extremely strict non-disclosure agreements.
The same goes for any staff at his residence, and the confidentiality agreement is believed to be ironclad.
Survival thriller Heart of the Beast’s filming locations are said to be Glenorchy and Milford, standing in for Alaska.
Post-production of the movie will move to Auckland, with Pitt expected to spend a couple of weeks in the City of Sails.
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The only cast member confirmed to star alongside Pitt is veteran star JK Simmons, who 10 years ago won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in Whiplash.
As well as starring in Heart of the Beast, Pitt is also a producer, working alongside David Ayer, the director of his 2014 World War II movie Fury.
Michael Peña, who co-starred with Pitt in Fury, played in the New Zealand Open (which doubled as a pro-am) last weekend at Millbrook.
Peña, an avid golf enthusiast, played alongside long-time friend and Australian professional, Austin Bautista.
The Narcos and Ant-Man actor rubbed shoulders with former All Blacks Israel Dagg and Richie McCaw, who were also playing in the tournament.
Pitt’s next movie F1, where he plays a retired Formula One driver who gets back to the track to mentor a rookie – hits screens in June.
Pals co-founder surprise harbour proposal
A 40th birthday party onboard a superyacht for Pals co-founder Mathew Croad turned into a surprise proposal for his girlfriend of four years, creative designer Rachel Needham.
Croad tells Society Insider he was initially planning to sweep his milestone birthday under the rug but thought it would be the perfect opportunity to completely surprise Needham and celebrate with all of their close friends.
He chartered a 26.8m luxury launch, wanting to share the experience sailing on the Waitematā with their friends.
Croad is the managing director of the mega-successful Kiwi-born RTD brand Pals and its parent company, Master of Ceremonies. He co-founded the company with his childhood friend Nick Marshall, fellow Mount Maunganui-native broadcaster Jay Reeve and his wife, influencer Anna.
For more than 12 years Needham has worked for some impressive fashion brands in NZ and Australia, including Karen Walker, Camilla and Marc and Harper Bazaar Australia.
She has also worked in creation, direction and design before starting her own agency Chella Hangs Studio.
After working in Sydney for more than five years, Needham moved to Auckland in mid-2020 and within six months met Croad at an event.
“Our relationship works so well because we have similar interests and outlooks on life but different personalities and strengths that complement each other,” says Needham, with Croad adding that they are “an epic team”.
Croad had enlisted the help of friends ahead of the proposal, with Stolen Girlfriends Club founder Marc Moore – one of his best mates – in on the surprise.
“Marc was DJ’ing and also holding the ring for me,” says Croad.
“The plan was for him to stop the music at around 7.30pm and for me to give a speech and that’s when I was going to do it.”
Plans went awry when Needham surprised Croad with a cake, cueing everyone to sing Happy Birthday and demanding a speech from him.
“I was thrown on the spot and didn’t even have the ring on me.
“Marc jumped up, hugged me in front of everyone and slipped the ring in my pocket,” Croad says.
“I said a quick speech then dropped down on one knee and everyone just started screaming, it was pretty epic.”
Needham’s ring is a beautiful solitaire from bespoke fine jewellery house Naveya and Sloane. Needham was involved in the design.
“Although we had designed it together, I had never seen the actual ring, only drawings. Mat chose the diamond and arranged it all to be crafted and only he had seen the final ring before the proposal – so it and the timing were a complete surprise,” says Needham.
Croad says the trip back to the city was perfect too.
“It was a pretty amazing trip home coming into the Auckland Harbour with the sun setting, partying away with all our close mates,” he says.
All four Pals’ co-founders were among the 50 invited guests, as well as UK-based model and entrepreneur Jessica Clarke, Toby Burrows of leading entertainment and festival company Trademark Group and his wife, model Amber Jayne.
Entrepreneur Seeby Woodhouse and Michaiah Simmons on their enduring friendship
Girl-about-town Michaiah Simmons recently celebrated her 40th birthday party at the $7 million Chatswood home she shares with best friend Seeby Woodhouse.
Guests, including Eluce founder Mona Dotcom, Clique Fitness founder Bex West and fashion stylist Lulu Wilcox, enjoyed espresso martinis as they danced by Woodhouse’s spectacular pool to DJs Ben Parkes and Brydie Tong. Both Simmons and Woodhouse gave moving speeches.
Simmons moved into communications multimillionaire Woodhouse’s Chatswood mansion about 18 months ago, after her marriage to chef Luca Villari ended.
And despite knowing each other more than 23 years, and being there for each other through their most vulnerable moments, the pair insist they have never been anything other than friends.
“We’re proof that men and women can be just friends without sex getting in the way,” Woodhouse tells Society Insider.
“She’s a beautiful woman, but we’ve never had anything going on between us other than a loving friend vibe.”
The pair have been the best of friends since Simmons was 17, when she worked as a promotions girl for his old company Orcon.
“I was very innocent and naive and felt safe with Seeby,” says Simmons. “We quickly became close friends and he became an older brother to me.”
The pair has spent almost every Christmas together since and have supported each other through their successes, high-flying party days, and some tragic personal events.
Aged 29, Woodhouse sold his company Orcon to Kordia for just under $25 million.
When Simmons was 22, she lost her boyfriend Logan Miller to suicide. During an incredibly challenging time and feeling overwhelmed, Simmons moved into Woodhouse’s Milford mansion.
“He was there when I was at my lowest and was just this beautiful, caring, protective presence in my life while I navigated a huge amount of grief,” says Simmons.
In turn, several years later Simmons was there when Woodhouse lost his father to suicide.
Simmons was Woodhouse’s groom’s woman when he married Geraldine Burnett in Queenstown in 2016. A little over a year later Woodhouse and Burnett called it quits.
Moving into Woodhouse’s Chatswood mansion came almost 16 years to the day that she had moved into his Milford home.
“For me, it has been very healing living with Seeby,” Simmons says.
“I came out of my marriage quite broken and having the safe space to go through the healing process and deal with the trauma of what I had been through has been incredible.”
Woodhouse says living together with a good friend is a hell of a lot better than living alone – and given the affordability of housing, and the declining marriage rates, he is sure it will become more common for friends to live together into old age.
Simmons currently works in the mental health space as events manager for I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, as well as running her in-demand events business Deluxe.
Woodhouse founded and runs internet and broadband company Voyager, as well as website domain and data centre businesses. To top that off he has a property portfolio to run and his luxury retreat north of Auckland, Woodhouse Mountain Lodge.
Wilhelmina Shrimpton and Ben O’Keeffe’s engagement celebration
Broadcaster Wilhelmina Shrimpton and her fiance, rugby referee Ben O’Keeffe, hosted a glamorous engagement bash last Saturday evening at Milenta in Victoria Park.
Shrimpton tells Society Insider the evening was “perfect”.
“It’s hard to put into words just how special it was to be in a room full of love and loved ones. My heart is just bursting and we are both so excited for the wedding,” she says.
The party comes six months after O’Keeffe, 36, proposed to Shrimpton, 34, at Chapmans Peak in Cape Town.
The Milford-based couple went public with their relationship when Shrimpton joined O’Keeffe in Paris for the closing games of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Since then, they have become one of the most photographed couples about town.
Before their engagement party, O’Keeffe had a celebration thrown for him after refereeing the game between the Highlanders and Moana Pasifika.
Shrimpton stood in the stands with a sign which read “100, and +101”.
“Ben was celebrating becoming the first Kiwi referee to crack 100 Super Rugby games, Shrimpton tells Society Insider.
“He reached the milestone the weekend before in Canberra, so last weekend was game 101.”
The pair glammed up to welcome their dozens of guests, with O’Keeffe wearing a Rembrandt suit and the bride-to-be wearing a Trish Peng outfit, accessorised with jewellery from The Diamond Shop where O’Keeffe bought Shrimpton’s engagement ring.
Guests arrived at Milenta through an archway and enjoyed South American-inspired canapes, with a margarita bar and two special flavours each named after the couple – The BOK, O’Keeffe’s initials, and The WOK, Shrimpton’s soon-to-be initials.
Champagne followed with a vanilla and raspberry cake made by one of Shrimpton’s best friends and bridesmaids Haley Featonby.
The couple will marry at Ayrburn in Queenstown this December.
A good week for... newlyweds Caitlin O’Sullivan and Tom Doyle
Caitlin O’Sullivan and Tom Doyle married last weekend and the event was a true country affair, complete with mechanical bull.
O’Sullivan, 28, the daughter of NZ racing royalty Lance and Bridgette, married former professional footballer turned commercial real estate whiz Doyle, 32, at her family’s 200ha dairy farm and estate in Piarere, between Cambridge and Matamata.
The couple married on the lawn in front of the home in which O’Sullivan grew up. Their reception followed at the family-run wedding and function venue, Red Barn.
All three of the bride’s dresses were created by bridal designer Trish Peng. The groom, his best man Adam Wallis, and four groomsmen wore Working Style.
O’Sullivan’s younger sister Georgia was her matron of honour and wore Shona Joy, as did the other four bridesmaids.
“The day was everything we wished for and more,” O’Sullivan tells Society Insider.
The party continued the next day with a hoedown back at Red Barn, with all guests dressed for the Wild West theme.
The biggest cheers of the day were when the newlyweds rode the mechanical bull by the outdoor chimney.
On Monday they flew to Fiji for their honeymoon.
Party people of the week
SIX the Musical premiere
On Saturday evening, the Tony Award-winning global phenomenon SIX the Musical opened at The Civic on Queen St with the purple carpet rolled out.
Having wowed audiences around the world, the electrifying musical is headlining the Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival, with performances running until March 23.
Guests attending the premiere included The Hits’ Matty McLean and Ben Boyce with daughters Sienna and Indie, comedian Eli Matthewson and his partner Samuel Clack, husband and wife musical comedy duo Joseph Moore and Laura Daniel, broadcasters Robert Rakete, Roger Farrelly, Dominic Bowden, Mike Puru, Rhiannon McCall, and Jess Tyson, comedian Tim Batt, and Hamilton star Matu Ngaropo.
The Auckland Arts Festival officially opens tonight with Kia Kori! Let’s Move!, a free concert in Aotea Square featuring musicians including Julia Deans, Betty-Anne, and Thomas Stowers.
Black Grace’s 30th birthday
Last Thursday evening pre-eminent contemporary dance company Black Grace hosted their Annual Gala and their 30th anniversary at the Dome at the Auckland Museum.
On arrival, guests enjoyed champagne by Laurent-Perrier and Diamond Heart followed by a Pacific-inspired three-course dinner with wines by The Ned.
Broadcaster John Campbell compered a lively conversation with Black Grace founding artistic director Neil Ieremia (ONZM) reflecting on the company’s journey.
Guests included Black Grace trustee and architect Ngaere Duff and partner Kent Gardner, chairman of Creative New Zealand, along with fellow trustee and lawyer Anna Fuiava with husband Pati.
Also in attendance were renowned artist Fatu Feu’u with partner Vivienne Setton, Edward Cowley aka drag artist Buckwheat, Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley, art collectors and philanthropists John and Jo Gow, NZ Arts Foundation general manager Jessica Palalagi with Brown Bread founder Jo Blair.
The Black Grace dancers showcased four new incredible dance pieces which will premiere at their forthcoming 30th anniversary public event “This Is Not A Retrospective” on March 22 at Auckland Town Hall – the first of many exciting shows they have planned this year.
VIPs at the Hotel Indigo Auckland
Last Wednesday and Thursday night, Hotel Indigo Auckland hosted exclusive preview events in its pinnacle residential penthouse suite on level 41.
More than 100 guests gathered across the two nights for the intimate sky-high event, where they were introduced to the hotel’s distinct neighbourhood story, brought to life by the 25 Floors 25 Stories photographic collection.
Guests enjoyed Billecart-Salmon Champagne on arrival, followed by Man O’ War wines, and French-inspired canapes from the hotel’s executive chef Yutak Son. The hotel’s first restaurant Bistro Saine will be opening in April.
Hotel Indigo Auckland’s general manager Mathew Simister opened proceedings, welcoming many guests who had been directly involved with the hotel’s development, design and hospitality, including Melbourne-based developers, Henry Rzechta and his son Jonty, contemporary artist Stuart Robertson, and multidisciplinary artist, architect and designer Raukura Turei.
Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.
