Born and bred in Aotearoa, New Zealand, Halaifonua Finau, better known as Nua, is a proud Tongan at the forefront of Polynesian storytelling on screen.
He began his career producing SMALL BLACKS TV, the All Blacks flagship kids’ rugby series and sharpened his skills with the much-loved Polynesian series BABY MAMA’S CLUB. In 2019, he co-wrote and associate-produced JONAH, a powerful tele-feature drama about Tongan All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu.

In 2021, Nua joined forces with Four Knights maestro Tom Hern (The Dark Horse, Guns Akimbo, Shadow in the Cloud) to launch their production company, Tavake. Their debut drama series THE PANTHERS, which Nua co-created, wrote, and executive produced alongside Hern, became the first New Zealand TV series to premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

2023 was a milestone year for Nua. He wrote and produced his first feature film, RED, WHITE & BRASS, with Executive Producers Taika Waititi and Carthew Neal. The film became an instant Polynesian classic, becoming the number 1 local grossing film of the year.

The success continued into 2024 with the acclaimed Tavake series MADAM, which won Best Creation at the Monte Carlo TV Festival and Best Comedy at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.

Beyond his on-screen achievements, Nua received the 2023 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pacific Enterprise Award and served on the Content Advisory Board for the 2023 and 2024 Banff World Media Festival.

Nua is represented by Kaplan Perrone Entertainment.

__________________________

SCRIPTED

We’re after partners who match our momentum—collaborators who bring creative spark, smart financing, and access to global audiences. Whether it’s co-developing bold projects, structuring sharp deals, or finding new ways to craft impactful stories, we want like-minded allies who understand the sweet spot between artistry and strategy.