How Rachel House Brought the Kiwi Accent to the Big Screen

How Rachel House Brought the Kiwi Accent to the Big Screen

In this episode, Sienna tells her dad Ben she wants to grow up and be like actor and director Rachel House. Rachel has done it all - from iconic Kiwi films like Whale Rider, Boy, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, to Thor: Ragnarok in the Marvel universe. She voiced Gramma Tala in Moana, brought characters to life in Pixar’s Soul and Coco, and most recently played the villain Piglin in A Minecraft Movie! Sienna and Ben chat with Rachel about: * Growing up in Kamo, Northland, and falling in love with drama as a kid * Early performances, from The Wizard of Oz to Shakespeare at age six * Drama school and discovering her whakapapa later in life * Starting out in acting, handling rejection, and keeping going despite setbacks * Iconic Kiwi roles and the magic of voicing Gramma Tala in Moana and Voicing the villain Piglin in Minecraft and losing her voice doing it * A surprise meeting with Chris Hemsworth on Thor and what it’s really like working with Taika Waititi * Big career moments, recognisable roles, and “pinch yourself” Hollywood surprises * Advice for young people dreaming of acting, storytelling, or media careers * What she would tell her younger self Rachel shows that with passion, determination, and a bit of courage, you can end up in some of the world’s biggest movies and on this podcast too!  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Neurodiversity, Ryan Gosling and the Lotto Machine with Sonia Gray

In this episode, Sienna tells her dad Ben she wants to grow up and be like Sonia Gray - someone who’s not only had an incredible media career but also uses her platform to make a difference. Sonia has been one of New Zealand’s most recognisable faces for decades - from acting and presenting to calling the numbers on the weekly Lotto draw. More recently, she’s become a powerful voice for neurodiversity, sharing her family’s journey and helping people better understand kids whose brains work differently. Sienna and Ben chat with Sonia about: * Growing up in the Hutt Valley and what she dreamed of being as a kid * Being scouted as a model, travelling the world, and handling the pressures of that industry * Acting alongside a young Ryan Gosling in Young Hercules in New Zealand * Playing a villain on Shortland Street and dealing with some wild public reactions - including having a drink poured over her! * Hosting Lotto live for 20 years and answering all the burning Lotto questions * Discovering neurodiversity through parenting her daughter and the lessons it’s taught her * Personal stories about a surprise ADHD diagnosis * Advice for teens or parents who suspect they or their child might be neurodivergent * Turning life’s highs and lows - from career setbacks like Dancing With the Stars to personal challenges - into learning moments * What she would tell her younger self Sonia shows that you can build a long, successful career, embrace neurodiversity, and still have plenty of epic behind-the-scenes media stories along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Toni Street Shouldn't Have Said Yes To This...

In this episode, Sienna tells her dad Ben she wants to grow up and work in the media… just like Toni Street. Toni’s story goes way beyond just TV and radio. She grew up on a dairy farm in Taranaki, loved sport, and loved talking (a lot!) and turned that into becoming one of New Zealand’s most loved broadcasters. Sienna and Ben chat with Toni about: * Growing up on a farm and what she was like as a kid * Going through really tough family stuff and how her family got through that * How a love of sport pulled her into broadcasting in the first place * School speeches, finding confidence, and just saying yes to opportunities * What it’s like being a woman in a very male-dominated sport and media world * Big “pinch me” moments - from chatting to Usain Bolt at the Olympics to talking with Ed Sheeran and Katy Perry * Live TV moments that went very wrong and how she handled them * Stepping away from full-time TV and trying to find balance * Juggling kids, work, health, sport, and life without losing your mind * How she’s turned nerves into confidence and now helps other people do the same * And what she would tell her younger self It’s a funny and inspiring chat about resilience, confidence, and backing yourself.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Rita Ora Surprises Sienna in Studio

WOW. It finally happened. For two seasons, Sienna’s dream podcast guest has been global superstar Rita Ora - and in this episode, Rita doesn’t just join the podcast… she surprises Sienna in the studio! After seeing Ben get a Rita Ora tattoo for his daughter go viral on social media, Rita reached out and said she had to do the podcast - leading to an emotional and unforgettable face to face moment. Sienna and Ben chat with Rita about: * The epic surprise moment when Sienna is surprised by her idol and dream guest * How Rita saw the tattoo online, got in touch, why it made her emotional and whether Ben has made things awkward with her husband Taika Waititi * Growing up feeling different - and learning to back yourself * Early pop star dreams, broken promises, and pushing through setbacks * What Rita has learnt about dealing with fame, nerves, and confidence * Juggling music, fashion, TV talent shows, acting roles - and knowing what to say yes to * How she manages a hectic global schedule without burning out Plus, plenty of Kiwi chat, including: * What Rita loves about being in New Zealand * Her favourite Kiwi food and favourite place in the country * Her favourite New Zealand entertainers (that aren’t her husband) * Whether she has a favourite Taika Waititi movie And, of course… What she’d tell her younger self at Sienna’s age It’s a really special, emotional episode about big dreams and how a tattoo ended up changing everything! See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

BONUS EPISODE: Chatting with James Cameron and the Cast of Avatar: Fire & Ash

In this special bonus episode, Sienna and her dad Ben headed to Wellington (by plane - not flying creature) for the Avatar: Fire & Ash premiere. They sat down with legendary director James Cameron to chat about borrowing his Avatar pool, how Avatar first came to him in a dream, whether he’d change anything about Titanic if he made it today, and where Ben should (or absolutely should not) be allowed to display his Avatar children's toy at home. It’s a seriously funny and fascinating conversation. They also caught up with three of the film’s stars: iconic Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis, Avatar’s Jake Sully himself, Sam Worthington, and Jack Champion, who plays Spider. Cliff reveals why he hates watching his own movies, all three share the very different ways they landed their roles, and the group weighs in on whether Ben should show up to pick Sienna up from school in full Avatar costume. Plus: behind-the-scenes chaos including sharing a room with a snoring dad, red carpet Dad jokes, school leave approval drama, and a pair of broken shoes. Avatar: Fire & Ash hits cinemas from December 18. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.