
David Fane
- Age Range
- 49 - 61
- Ethnicity
- Pacific Islander
- Locations
- Auckland
- Height
- 188cm / 6ft 2in
- Bust/Chest
- 129cm / 51in
- Waist
- 113cm / 44in
- Hips
- 122cm / 48in
Bio
David has recently finished shooting the new HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death with Taika Waititi starring, directing and executive producing. Dave has previously worked with Waititi on several projects including the Fox Searchlight feature film, Next Goal Wins, starring Michael Fassbender, which completed principle photography in Hawai'i in late 2019 and is now in post production, pending release in 2022. Dave also played the nemesis in Taika’s first feature film, Eagle vs Shark and he appears as the Disco Ghost in the series Wellington Paranormal currently taking the US by storm.
A New Zealander of Samoan descent, David Fane is one of New Zealand’s most high-profile and versatile actors. A graduate of New Zealand’s top drama school, Toi Whakaari, Fane first came to the attention of viewers for his innate sense of comedy and multiple characterisations in early 1990s TV comedy sketch shows Skitz and Telly Laughs and he has gone on to play many more well loved characters on the small and large screens. Television highlights include playing the part-time crook and full-time comic relief character of Falani in the hugely successful television series Outrageous Fortune and spinoff series Westside , the lead in the madcap 2009 comedy Diplomatic Immunity, an opera singing concreter in the internationally successful co- production 800 Words and tough guy Pig in the Warner Brothers series Fresh Eggs. Feature film performances include The Tongan Ninja , Love Birds ( Directed by Paul Murphy and starring Rhys Darby and Sally Hawkins), Mr Va’a in horror film The Tattooist (a best supporting performance which was nominated for a NZ Film and TV award and won a Fright award in 2008). He is frequently recognised around the world for his role as Paul in the high grossing NZ films Sione's Wedding 1 and 2, (released as Samoan Wedding in the US).
David is a founding member of the theatre company The Naked Samoans, creators of multiple stage productions which have been extremely successful in New Zealand and at festivals around the world. This group of friends and collaborators were also the powerhouse creative team behind Bro’ town, New Zealand’s first and most successful animated comedy series, and Dave holds a number of awards for his work as a writer and performer on this project. Dave became well known for his versatility in playing multiple iconic characters in the series and remains in demand as a character voice actor for creative and commercial projects.
David is also well known as an award winning theatre actor and has worked for New Zealand’s leading companies playing roles as diverse as King Edward (Richard III) , Martin Luther King (The Mountaintop ) and Mrs Twit (Roald Dahl's The Twits) . He is in demand as a director and writer for theatre and was awarded a Chapman Tripp Theatre playwrights award for his play A Frigate Bird Sings. He is highly respected as a game changer and leader in the Pacific community and received the NZ Arts Council Senior Pasifika Artist award in 2016 in recognition of his contribution to the Performing Arts in Aotearoa.
Film
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Next Goal Wins | Ace | Taika Waititi | Feature Film |
2020 | Paper Champions | Kenife | Paper Chamions SPV PTY LTD Australia | Feature Film |
2015 | Gary of the Pacific | Dad | The Downlow Concept | Feature Film |
2011 | Sione's 2 | Bolo (core cast) | South Pacific Pictures | Feature Film |
2010 | Love Birds | Kanga | General Film Corp, dir. Paul Murphy | Feature Film |
2007 | Eagle vs. Shark | Eric Elisi | Sad Animals Ltd, dir. Taika Waititi | Feature Film |
2006 | The Tattooist | Mr Va'a | Eyeworks Touchdown Films Ltd, Dir. Peter Burger | Feature Film |
2006 | Sione's Wedding | Bolo (core cast) | South Pacific Pictures, dir. Chris Graham | Feature Film |
2001 | Tongan Ninga | Henchman | Dir. Jason Stuttler | Feature Film |
Television
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Our Flag Means Death | Fang | Retro Inc, HBO | Drama |
2019 | Fresh Eggs | Pig | Warner Brothers, dir. Various | Drama |
2019 | The Great NZ Bake-off | Self | Warner Brothers | Other |
2018 | Westside S4 | Falani's Father | South Pacific Pictures | Drama |
2018 | Wellington Paranormal | Raymond | New Zealand Documentary Board, dir. Jemaine Clement, Jackie Van Beek, Taika Waititi | Comedy |
2017 | 800 Words S3 | Smiler | Weld Productions Ltd | Drama |
2016 | The Brokenwood Mysteries S3 | Olsen | South Pacific Pictures | Drama |
2016 | 800 Words S2 | Smiler | SPP/ Weld Productions Ltd | Drama |
2015 | 800 Words | Smiler | SPP/ Weld Productions Ltd | Drama |
2015 | Word Up! | South Pacific Pictures | Other | |
2015 | DNA Detectives | Presenter | Jam TV Ltd | Other |
2014 | Westside S1 | Ofisa | South Pacific Pictures | Drama |
2013 | My Kitchen Ruined | Whitebait Prod | Drama | |
2010 | Trails of Napier (comedy) | Mongolian Prince | Great South TV, dir. Jonathan Brough | Drama |
2010 | Cheers to 50 Years (docu) | Team Member | TVNZ | Drama |
2009 | Radiradirah (comedy) | Judas - Roimata | Firehorse Films Ltd | Comedy |
2009 | Island Wars | Co Presenter | Eyeworks Touchdown Ltd | Drama |
2008 | Diplomatic Immunity | Jonah | South Pacific Pictures | Comedy |
2007-2009 | Outrageous Fortune (Series 3-6) | Falani | South Pacific Pictures | Drama |
2002 | What Now | Various | Drama | |
2001-2003 | The Strip (Series 1-2) | Jack | Gibson Group | Drama |
1997 | The Semisis | Pisupo/Minister | Gibson Group | Comedy |
1995-1996 | Telly Laughs | Various | Gibson Group | Comedy |
1993-1996 | Skitz (comedy) | Various | Gibson Group | Comedy |
1992 | Typhon's People | Terry | Gibson Group | Drama |
2004-09 | Bro'town | Mac, brother, Ken, Jeff, Agnes, Tapili, Pepelo Pepelo | Actor and Writer | Comedy |
Web Series
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Baby Mama's Club | Iosefa | BMC Productions, dir. Hanelle Harris, Roseanne Liang |
Theatre
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Naked Samoans Do Magic | Sinonidini | Dir. Nina Nawalowalo | |
2019 | Peter Pan | Captain Hook | Dir. Dan Pengally, Centrepoint | |
2018 | The Mountaintop | Martin Luther King | Dir. Fasitoa Amosa, FCC | |
2018-19 | The Taming of the Shrew | Richard III | Pop up Globe | |
2015 | Sons | Auckland Theatre Company | ||
2012 | A Frigate Bird Sings | Kapili | Auckland Theatre Company, dir. Alison Quigan | |
2011 | The Twits | Mrs Twits | Auckland Theatre Company | |
2011 | Bare | ChCh Earthquake Appal, Civic Theatre | ||
2010 | Naked Samoans Go Home | Oxfam Tsunami Charity Show | ||
2009 | Gods of Carnage | Dir. Colin McColl, ATC | ||
2008 | Where We Once Belonged | ATC | ||
2007 | Niu Sila | Tauranga Festival | ||
2006 | Naked Samoans Go Home | Naked Samoans | ||
2004 | Niu Sila | Downstage Theatre | ||
2003 | Ladies Night | Wes | Auckland Theatre Company | |
2002 | Naked Samoans-The Trilogy | Edinburgh Festival | ||
2001 | Vicks Boy | Circa Theatre, dir. Danny Mulheron | ||
2001 | Paradise | Takirua Productions / Circa Theatre, dir. Tina Cook | ||
2000 | Naked Samoans Go To Hollywood | |||
2000 | Serial Killers | Circa Theatre, dir. Cathy McRae | ||
1999 | Naked Samoans | |||
1998 | Sons | Downstage Theatre, dir. Christian Penny | ||
1998 | Naked Samoans Talk About Their Knives | |||
1997 | Mojo | Circa Theatre, dir. Stephen Bain | ||
1997 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Downstage Theatre / Northland Festival, dir. Jean Betts | ||
1996 | Eulogy | Downstage Theatre, dir. Andrew Foster | ||
1994-1995 | Fresh off the Boat | Dir. Nathaniel Lees | ||
1993 | Voices on the Wind | Barton National Tour, dir. Justine Simae Barton |
Short Film
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Proof | Len | Heimlich Manoeuvre | Short Film |
Commercial
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Air NZ 'Christmas' | Santa | Reel Factory | |
2020 | Partners Life | Narrator | The Hood & Co | |
2018-2019 | Keep New Zealand Beautiful | Mama Nature | FCB | |
2017 | Ducktails | Himself | The Walt Disney Company (Australia) Pty Ltd |
Voice
Year | Production | Role | Production Company / Director | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | The Poo Files | Narrator | Rude Girl Productions | |
2018 | Kiri & Lou Animated Series | Uncle Tama | Kiri & Lou Ltd | |
2017 | The Barefoot Bandits | Curtis Scott | Mukpuddy Animation | |
2014 | One Winged Bee | Bee Bee Sting | One Winged Bee Productions |
Training
Year | Description | Institution / Presenter | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | Bachelor of Acting | Toi Whakaari/NZ Drama School | ||
1992 | Diploma in Acting | Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School |
Languages
Advanced: Samoan
Accents
Advanced: Samoan
Sports
Intermediate: Fencing
Singing Styles
Advanced: General
Musical Instruments
Intermediate: Trombone