Stacey Leilua

Stacey Leilua (born 1982) is a New Zealand actress and producer. Since the early 2000s she has regularly acted in Pasifika theatre in New Zealand and was a founding member of the Kila Kokonut Krew. She played Ata Johnson, the mother of Dwayne Johnson, in the comedy show Young Rock from 2021 to 2023.

Stacey Leilua
Born1982 (age 40–41)
Auckland, New Zealand
EducationUnitec Institute of Technology (BA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
Known forYoung Rock (2021–2023)
Children1

Life and career

Leilua was born in Auckland in 1982, and is of Samoan, Māori and Pākehā (New Zealand European) descent.[1][2][3] She attended Unitec Institute of Technology where she obtained a bachelor's degree in performing and screen arts.[2][4]

She was a founding member, and later company director, of Kila Kokonut Krew, a Pasifika performing arts company, in the early 2000s, and performed in and produced plays with other members on numerous occasions over the next decade.[3][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] In 2013 she was the co-producer of Kila Kokonut Krew musical The Factory, about a Samoan family who arrive in New Zealand in 1974. It was described by Radio New Zealand as "New Zealand's first-ever Pacific musical".[12][13] The show headlined the 2013 Auckland Arts Festival, featured at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and was subsequently adapted into a 20-part webseries, in which Leilua also acted.[14][15]

From 2016 to 2020 she was part of the ensemble cast for Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, a show based on Tusiata Avia's 2002 one-woman show and 2004 poetry collection, performed at the Māngere Arts Centre in 2016 and as part of the 2018 New Zealand Festival of the Arts and the 2019 Auckland Arts Festival.[16][17] Leilua played the part of Avia.[18][19][20] A 2016 review in The New Zealand Herald said Leilua "captures the ironic, mocking persona of the poet who lives between two worlds as she carries the down-to-earth sensuality of her Pacific roots on an international odyssey".[21] The show was performed for a 2-week run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City in 2020, and won The Fringe Encore Series 2019 Outstanding Production of the Year.[22][23]

From 2021 to 2023, Leilua played the mother of Dwayne Johnson, Ata, in the comedy show Young Rock.[1] A reviewer for the San Francisco Chronicle described her as "quite magnetic to watch", and said that "her role, the least showy, is the most compelling surprise".[24] She was nominated for the award for Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy, at the 1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards.[25]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2010 To'ona'i Ruth Short film
2011 Love Birds Mom #3
2012 Tatau Sina Short film [26]

Television
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2003 Good Hands – Lima Lelei Juddy [27]
2011 Hōmai te Pakipaki Presenter Aired on Māori Television [28]
2021–2023 Young Rock Ata Johnson

References
  1. Schulz, Chris (15 April 2021). "Kiwi actor Stacey Leilua rocks as Dwayne Johnson's mum". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  2. "An Interview with Stacey Leilua". Mumble Theatre. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  3. Leilua, Stacey (24 June 2021). "When Time Stops". Pantograph Punch. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. "Pacific acting alumni star in Young Rock TV series". Unitec. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. Lisa Warrington; David O'Donnell (2017). Floating Islanders: Pacifika Theatre in Aotearoa. Dunedin: Otago University Press. pp. 171–172. ISBN 978-1-98-853107-6. Wikidata Q106816829.
  6. Delilkan, Sharu. "REVIEW: Taro King (Kila Kokonut Krew)". Theatre Scenes. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  7. Smythe, John (24 July 2007). "Heartfelt and hilarious with a moral heart". Theatreview. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  8. "Its time to get Super Fresh". The Big Idea. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  9. White, Tina (23 July 2009). "Clever plot full of laughter". Manawatū Standard. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  10. "Theatre review: Plantation, Mangere Arts Centre". The New Zealand Herald. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  11. Herrick, Linda (9 August 2005). "Playwright finds inspiration in real-life events". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  12. "Vela Manusaute & Stacey Leilua: The Factory". Radio New Zealand. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  13. Ross, John C (28 February 2011). "A lovely, heart-warming show". Theatreview. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  14. "The Factory". NZ On Screen - Iwi Whitiāhua. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  15. Jewell, Stephen (16 August 2014). "Meeting of the clans". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  16. Simei-Barton, Kolopa (7 March 2019). "Theatre review: Wild Dogs barks in triumph". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  17. Walls, Alison (15 January 2020). "Invigorating Ensemble Work". Theatreview. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  18. Swinnen, Lucy (9 March 2018). "NZ Festival: Make time to catch the fantastic Wild Dogs Under My Skirt". The Dominion Post. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  19. "Empowering ensemble feeling fearless". The New Zealand Herald. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  20. Christian, Dionne (24 September 2016). "Into the wild". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  21. "Review: Wild dogs under my skirt, Mangere Arts Centre". The New Zealand Herald. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  22. Mandell, Jonathan (8 January 2020). "Wild Dogs Under My Skirt Review: When the Rainbow is Enuf in New Zealand". New York Theater. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  23. "Wild Dogs Under My Skirt - by Tusiata Avia". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  24. Strauss, Bob (21 February 2021). "Review: The Rock runs for president and remembers an extraordinary youth in NBC comedy series". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  25. Pedersen, Eric (8 July 2021). "HCA TV Awards Nominations: 'Ted Lasso' Leads Programs For Inaugural Honors; NBC, HBO & Netflix Lead Nets". Deadline. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  26. "Tatau". NZ On Screen — Iwi Whitiāhua. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  27. "Credits – Good Hands – Lima Lelei". NZ On Screen - Iwi Whitiāhua. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  28. "Hōmai te Pakipaki Back the Paki Up". Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
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