Rena Owen Photo: Manfred Baumann
Rena Owen has played everyone from Beth Heke in Once Were Warriors to Nee Alavar in Star Wars, but the actress says playing Dame Whina Cooper was one of the most challenging roles of her 30-plus year career.
Cooper, who is the subject of new film Whina, lived a trailblazing life. In 1975, at the age of 79, she led a 1000 kilometre land march from the Far North to parliament, protesting against the continued loss of Māori land. She worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women, earning the title Te Whāea-o-te-motu, meaning Mother of the Nation.
Whina was co-directed by James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones and opens in cinemas Thursday 23 June.
