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Playing bad boy Kingi on Shortland Street wasn't Te Kohe Tuhaka's first introduction to gangs. "I grew up in a gang household," says the 26-year-old, who was raised in Gisborne, where his uncles were once staunch gang members. "I understand why people get into gangs _ belonging, being
a part of something. I've been there, I've seen it but one thing I'm anti is youth and gangs, because the mentality of a youth is too unstable. They're just too easily influenced."
But Tuhaka wasn't. Encouraged by his "biggest fan" - his mum - to stay away from the gang scene, he went to rugby practice instead. "In Gisborne, if you don't play rugby you don't get to go anywhere," he quips.
After playing for his high-school First IV, local side YMP, and in the provincial tournament for Poverty Bay, he was drafted into the under-19 Hurricanes squad. But he didn't make the tournament, deciding instead to head to auditions for Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School in Wellington. As he usually plays "the hero, the wise one or the clown", Tuhaka is relishing his first tough-guy role on Shortland Street.
As a hired thug with a determined streak and a well-concealed soft side, danger-courting Kingi first appeared on screen in May as an unlikely law student who is in the Whitetails gang to protect the younger boys. Since then he's had his fair share of run-ins with money-laundering bar owner Kieran and vicious gang leader Kane, as well as falling for feisty nurse Tania (played by Faye Smythe).
In Friday's final episode before the soap's summer break, the Christmas cliffhanger finds Kingi and Tania, who's shopped Kane to the cops, in grave peril. Of course, one reason Kingi is in love with Tania is because she's one of the only people who's bothered to try to understand him. "It starts off as pure attraction, but he soon realises there's life outside the gang," says Tuhaka. "Kingi's misunderstood, because no one truly understand his morals. He comes from a background where you have to really survive in order to get ahead. Kingi's very loyal, he has standards and his own moral code, he's willing to put himself before others and he doesn't intentionally destroy people's lives."
Fingers crossed for boyfriend-burned Tania. Says Smythe, 23: "She's a fairly free spirit, Tania, she goes where the action is." But you've got to wonder why Tania - who was in jeopardy in last year's Christmas cliffhanger with serial killer Joey about to strangle her - is dogged by drama.
Is it because of her questionable choice of boyfriends such as sex addict Mark, vanishing act Hone and, of course, Kingi? Smythe doesn't think so. "Tania's had it pretty rough but she tends to bounce back pretty well, too. She has had a lot of boyfriends but that means I've had the opportunity to work with some really awesome, talented people." Including Tuhaka. "Te Kohe is a very talented actor. It's always great to have the opportunity to work with an actor of his experience and calibre. He's great fun to work with and he's a breath of fresh air, and not too bad on the eye, either!"
Romance spilled off set, with Tuhaka and Smythe snapped getting cosy out-and-about. While they're tight-lipped about their relationship, he admits he never imagined he'd hook up with a co-star, goes silent then relents just a little. "Well... she's gorgeous!" he grins, in a well-what-are-you-going-to-do? kind of way.
And yes, he's been hearing plenty of yells of "Kingi!" and "Whitetail!" on the street. "It's annoying but it comes with the territory - everyone knows you when you're on Shortland Street. But what I hate is people coming up saying 'You're on Shortland Street, you've made it!' For me, Shortland Street is great and I'm grateful to be on it, but it's not my whole career. It's a stepping stone... to film, TV, LA!"
Wherever Tuhaka ends up, Shortland Street is not likely to be the final crowning glory to a career that's already seen him star in short films, TV and plenty of theatre. He's also just filmed his second hosting gig (season three in the pipeline) of afternoon-TV show Cool Kids Cooking. Something else Tuhaka wouldn't mind doing is being a full-time dad. Proudly he shows me a cellphone pic of his Gisborne-based son Phoenix, who at 2 already shows the signs of being a looker like his dad.
He certainly has a way with kids. Four girls, aged about 7 or 8, have been watching Tuhaka interview-long. When we finish, they bound over and ask him to autograph their napkins. Asking how to spell each name, the fluent te reo speaker (it's his first language) writes a Kia Ora-headed, individual message to each of them. "Thanks!" the last girl squeaks, looking like she's about to burst with excitement. "No worries," he grins, and you can tell he means it.
* Shortland Street's Christmas cliffhanger screens on TV3 this Friday at 7pm.