Rickylee Russell-Waipuka

Rickylee holds all First Nations projects close to her chest and works to ensure that the appropriate voices are at the table when it comes to safeguarding culture. Her compassion and ability to connect with people is a tribute to her character as she traverses complicated subjects, ensuring that all parties involved are correctly represented, and creating content for future generations to be proud of. Rickylee is a force of nature. Starting her career young, she discovered her love for this industry playing the ever-memorable Chardonnay in Boy, directed by Taika Waiti as well as roles in Waka Warriors, This Is Piki, Vegas, I Am Paradise and Taumanu. With an established background in theatre, she has performed and toured extensively with Hawaiki Tū Haka Theatre Company, and throughout Canada facilitating and performing haka workshops at Sākihiwē Festival and Edge of the World Festival amongst others. In late 2019, Rickylee began channelling her experience to the other side of the camera. Since signing on to Sweetshop & Green/ Sweetshop Entertainment, Rickylee acted as the Associate Producer on Taumanu and Untold Tales oF Tūteremoana funded by NZOA and TMP from development through to delivery. She oversaw cultural aspects for Bird's Eye View, TVNZ’s best children’s program. Rickylee has been working closely with Taratoa Stappard to develop his feature script Mārama which was selected for the Black List New Zealand Project. Rickylee is also working with Cian White to develop her feature film script Te Puhi, which was granted Early Development Funding from NZFC. Rickylee will be continuing to develop multiple historical Māori feature film projects with the likes of Paula Whetu-Jones, Cliff Curtis, Peter Burger, Robin Scholes and Witi Ihimaera.