Dave Letele

And the phone call rings.

Bro, the director, there was a look you did.

I was like, so can you tell me what look it was?

You know, and then you end up getting the role.

And so, you know, you've got to be able to, you know, to move with the punches.

But also you can't.

You can't bag yourself, bro.

You know, you've got to be your biggest fan.

You've got to walk around.

You've got to have, you know, you've got to have a sense of pride about who you are as a person.

Because when I was young, bro, there wasn't a whole lot of people in my corner.

You know, when I first decided to be an actor, there weren't a whole lot of people in my corner, bro.

Where'd you grow up, brother?

I grew up in Raitihi in central North Island.

Yeah.

And so awesome, awesome upbringing, bro.

Mum and dad and, you know, in a small little country town, our little village.

Aunties and uncles, cousins, whānau, you know, everyone around, teachers and stuff, you know, felt comfortable, felt, you know, felt close.

It was a close-knit community.

So, like, if you stepped out of line and someone down the street caught you, you know, they'd kick your ass, they'd take you home.