Shane Cortese (Victor)

Seen most recently on our screens as Outrageous Fortune’s Hayden Poofter Peters, Shane is still remembered as Shortland Street’s longest serving villain, for his role of Dominic Thompson/Warner 2003-05.  

After leaving the Street he danced his way into the hearts of the New Zealand public on the first series of Dancing With the Stars, making it all the way to the final and raising $156,000 for the Starship Foundation.  He starred as Brian on Burying Brian, played opposite British actress Zoë Lucker (Footballers’ Wives) in the stage play Then Comes Love, and hosted New Zealand’s version of So You Think You Can Dance?

Cortese trained at London's Central School of Speech and Drama. After graduating from the Musical Theatre Course in 1993, he spent 10 years touring the UK in musicals, performing several times on London's prestigious West End. His performances won critical acclaim from UK reviewers.  He fronts his own rock and roll band Class of ’58.
 

Taungaroa Emile (Te Rangi)

Taungaroa was just a teenager when he began his professional career in 1994, playing Boogie Heke in Once Were Warriors.   Since then he has starred in many of New Zealand’s top films including No. 2, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, Whale Rider, Rain of the Children, Jubilee, Flight of the Albatross and Taika Waititi’s award winning short Tama Tü.

On the small screen, Taungaroa has guest starred on Shortland Street, Jackson’s Wharf, Hercules and the telefeature The Man Who Lost His Head.  
He played the lead role of Tïpene Johnson in The Market, which, like Brown Bruthaz, was set in South Auckland.
 

Scott Cotter (Whetü)

After two years playing Wiremu Potae on Shortland Street, Scott has guest starred on The Jaquie Brown Diaries, Ride with the Devil, Orange Roughies, Körero Mai and the upcoming telefeature Nights in the Garden of Spain.  In 2003-4, Scott starred as trouble teen Heremäia in Cinco Cine’s language learning soap Whänau.

After making his start with the Theatresports-in-Schools programme, where his Howick College team won the regionals four years running, Scott still loves his theatre.  He’s worked with renowned Auckland companies Massive and Theatre Stampede, and recently starred as Tyler in the revival of Briar Grace Smith’s classic Purapurawhetu.

Jordaan Tuitama (Shane)

Multi-talented Jordaan Tuitama is good at getting noticed. Oscar Kightley saw him perform live with his theatre troupe ‘The Electrokokozoids’ at the 2009 International Comedy Festival, and cast him in TV3 comedy Rahdirahdirah.

And when Brown Bruthaz writer Stayci Taylor was teaching at PIPA (Pacific Island Performing Arts), she made sure the talented student got an audition for the series.

Jordaan first worked with Cinco Cine on the language learning soap Whänau, guest starring as a runaway teen.

Shavaughn Ruakere (Jasmine)

Since first grabbing the nation’s attention as presenter of What Now? in 1997, Shavaughn Ruakere has been a small screen regular, as host of the Smokefree Stage Challenge, Meaty and in her current role as presenter of The Official Top 40 on C4. 

She’s had guest roles on feature films River Queen and Sione’s Wedding, and on TV series The Cult, WANNA-Ben and Legend Of The Seeker.  Her role as Jasmine in Brown Bruthaz is her first lead.

Maria Walker (Hana)

A graduate of Toi Whakaari: The New Zealand Drama School, Maria’s theatre credits include Auckland Theatre Company’s The Bach and The Pohutakawa Tree, Taki Rua’s The Prophet and in 2009’s Flintlock Musket, directed by Rachel House and written by Outrageous Fortune’s Kirk Torrance.

On television, she’s appeared in This Is Not My Life, Cinco Cine’s Körero Mai and as Anaha on Stolen: The Baby Kahu Story, also written by Tim Balme.

Nicola Kawana (Iris)

Nicola Kawana is best known for playing Huia Samuels on Shortland Street and Mahina Jackson on Jackson’s Wharf.  Other roles include Mercy Peak, Whänau, Mataku, Legend of the Seeker and the lead role of Lollie, opposite Martin Clunes in The Man Who Lost His Head.  She recently set up “Ngati”, a new Mäori theatre company whose first production, in which she also starred, was Ngä Manurere, by Brown Bruthaz writer Renae Maihi.  A real life mother of two, Nicola plays Te Rangi and Whetü’s mum on Brown Bruthaz.