Kimberley Crossman Joins Fox ‘Fantasy Life’
Kiwi actress Kimberley Crossman has landed a role in U.S. pilot ‘Fantasy Life’ on Fox, which is based on the memoir by one of U.S.’ top fantasy experts, ESPN’s Matthew Berry. When a hard-working guy,…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
University of Auckland professors call on United Nations to lead efforts against smoking
Professors Robert Beaglehole and Ruth Bonita, from the University of Auckland have called on the United Nations to lead ‘a turbocharged’ campaign to make the world tobacco free by 2040. “A world where tobacco is…
Melanie Lynskey Reflects on Realism in Latest Roles
From Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures to HBO’s new television show Togetherness, actor Melanie Lynskey reflects on what 20 years – and Charlie Sheen – have taught her about showbusiness. Jackson’s film introduced not only future…
Contiki Australia’s Katrina Barry Heads Evolving Tour Company
New Zealand-born Katrina Barry, managing director of Contiki Australia, says the tour group has changed greatly since New Zealander John Anderson founded the company in 1962. “Twenty years ago it was just boozing around…
Tai Wynyard picked for Hoop Summit
University of Kentucky basketball Class of 2016 vocal agreement Tai Wynyard was named on Wednesday to play for the World Junior Select team that will play against the United States in the Nike Hoop…
Rose McIver in Rob Thomas’ ‘iZombie’
Rob Thomas new series ‘iZombie’, starring Kiwi actress Rose McIver, will air in New Zealand on TVNZ on Demand from Thursday, March 19. The New Zealand native stars as Olivia (Liv), an over-achieving medical resident…
New Zealand Researchers Track Blue Whale Songs off Antarctica
A team of researchers from New Zealand and Australia has successfully tracked scores of blue whales off Antarctica during a six-week expedition to the Southern Ocean. Voyage leader Richard O’Driscoll said…
Sharon Van Etten’s surprise performance leaves John Campbell in tears
John Campbell’s colleagues surprised the New Zealand news anchor with the ultimate music fan experience: his very own personal Sharon Van Etten show. Because of his demanding work schedule, Campbell was unable to attend a…
“What We Do in the Shadows” at the Top of the Pack
“What We Do In the Shadows” is so good, it wouldn’t be so creepy to have these lads rise from the crypt for a sequel”, proclaims Peter Howell, from The Record.com. Even…
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa honoured by Royal College of Music
The Prince of Wales presented legendary Kiwi soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with an honorary doctorate at a ceremony at the Royal College of Music. “It’s a great honour to be given such a title…
Van Gisbergen Joins McLaren Factory Line-Up
V8 Supercars star Shane van Gisbergen has been added to the McLaren line-up and will race in Europe as a factory driver this season. His exact role is yet to be announced, but it is…
Brown Takes Taupo again
Dominating one race like no other man in triathlon history, Kiwi Cameron Brown showed the world that he wasn’t slipping at age 42 and won his record-breaking 11th Ironman New Zealand title in 8:22:13…
Rugged Aoraki Region a Pinnacle of Adventure
Even with the mist covering the tallest of them, the Southern Alps rising up around the Hooker Valley have a humbling stature, Abu Dhabi’s English-language publication the National reports in a travel feature about…
Costume Designer Tracy Lord Awakens Singapore Corps De Ballet
New Zealand-born Tracy Grant Lord has created the costumes for Singapore Dance Theatre’s (SDT’s) 2015 season of Sleeping Beauty. Lord’s designs are a reminder of just how costumes also make a ballet. “Highlights will be…
Parker KOs Pettaway In 4
New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker took care of American Jason Pettaway in four rounds at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau City, New Zealand on Thursday night. Parker dominated the fight from the start. Pettaway…
Broods’ Georgia Nott Can’t Deny Her Pop Roots
When New Zealander Georgia Nott was young, her parents took her to wedding and church concerts where they performed with her aunt and uncle as an ABBA tribute band. “I couldn’t walk at the…
Lucy Lawless Joins ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’
Lucy Lawless will reunite with her “Xena: Warrior Princess” co-star Bruce Campbell on Starz’s “Ash Vs. Evil Dead”, which begins filming in Lawless’ native New Zealand in April. She will play Ruby, a…
New Zealand Breakers Win NBL Title Over Cairns
In a terrific Game 2 of the NBL grand final series, the Breakers claimed their fourth championship in five years with an 83-81 victory over Cairns Taipan. It’s the Breakers’ ninth straight playoff victory and…
Bruce Neal’s Anzac Tattoo an Internet Hit
Lower Hutt army veteran Bruce Neal’s Anzac tattoo – a 19cm design of World War I soldiers marching into the distance in a shape of a fern with the words “Lest We Forget” written…
Take a German Folk Music Tour with Hayden Chisholm
Hayden Chisolm’s documentary, Sound of Heimat, which follows the New Zealand-born musician as he traverses Germany exploring the country’s folk music, screened in Rwanda at a recent film, photography and dance festival organised by…
Andrew Reeve’s Craft Beer Business Honest Brew Delivers
A year ago from his small London apartment, New Zealander Andrew Reeve (pictured far left) launched his startup business Honest Brew. Now, he makes and sells his own craft beer and also…
New Zealand’s English Has a Distinct Linguistic Identity
“New Zealand English is like English, but different. And it’s developing in a direction all of its own,” according to New Zealand copywriter Sam O’Flaherty in a piece for the Guardian. “Tumeke!” “Enough about the…
Writing Struck a Chord for Author Anna Smaill
According to the Independent, New Zealand author Anna Smaill’s debut novel The Chimes is “superb … intriguing, ambitious and strikingly written.” Harper’s Bazaar tips it for “book of the year.” The setting is a dystopian…
Niki Caro’s Latest Feature Hits the Ground Running
New Zealander Niki Caro is the director of McFarland, USA, a Disney film based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a predominantly Mexican-American high school starring Kevin Costner. McFarland,…
New Zealand Shines As Bright As A Movie Star
“New Zealand might be best known for its breathtaking scenery, excellent wines and friendly locals; however, the land of the long white cloud has also earned a stellar reputation as a popular film location”…
New Zealand Soccer Player Winston Reid Renews Contract
West Ham defender Winston Reid has ended speculation about his future by signing a new six and a half year deal worth up to £20 million with the Upton Park Club. “There was a lot…
Ashleigh Good in Dolce & Gabbana’s Tribute To Mothers
New Zealand born model Ashleigh Good came down the catwalk holding her baby daughter Emily at the Milan Fashion Week. The duo was part of the Dolce and Gabbana show, which had…
Join the Red Nosed Kiwi Coffee Caravan
Caravan Coffee Roasters, set up by New Zealand chef Miles Kirby with Kiwi friends Laura Harper-Hinton and Chris Ammerman, has launched Coffee Relief to support this year’s Red Nose Day. From the…
Lorde and Joel Little Back into the Recording Studio
Teenage global “phenom” Lorde will hit the studio in a matter of weeks to begin work on a follow-up to her acclaimed debut album, Pure Heroine, according to Billboard. The big news didn’t come via…
Teddy Tahu Rhodes Commemorates Gallipoli at Sydney Opera House
Two of the best opera singers from New Zealand and Australia will come together on Anzac Day for a special commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of Gallipoli at the Sydney Opera House…
Composer Annea Lockwood Celebrates Waterway Sounds
Christchurch-born composer Annea Lockwood was one of nine artists represented at a recent audio and visual art exhibition in Manhattan, New York called “Foot Notes: On the Sensations of Tone,” an exhibition which celebrated…
Rainbow Hunters Find Their Violet in New Zealand
One mother and two young boys are on a trip around the world to seven countries to find the origin of seven colours. The Rainbow Hunters, as the trio are called, are…
Cycling an Exceptional Route from the Alps to the Ocean
The 78km Twizel-Omarama section of the South Island’s Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail “is simply exceptional,” writes Andrew Bain for Australian Geographic Outdoor. “Twizel isn’t Queenstown. It’s not Wanaka, and it’s not Nelson. This South…
Geoff Sewell’s Guerilla Opera Singers Hit Exclusive Parties
Former Amici Forever tenor New Zealander Geoff Sewell and his wife Simone Lanham run London-based Incognito Artists, a group of performers who specialise in “guerrilla opera” – available for hire as “chefs,”…
Luke Willis Thompson Exhibits at NY’s New Museum
Walters Prize recipient, Auckland-based Luke Willis Thompson, 27, is one of 51 young artists participating in New York’s New Museum Generational Triennial, a “hotly anticipated” show which will explore the frontiers of digital technology,…
Glenn Martin’s Jetpack Dream Achieves IPO Liftoff
In 1981, a young aviation-obsessed university student, New Zealander Glenn Martin, began working on his dream to invent the world’s first commercial jetpack, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. In late February the company he…
Scott Baigent’s Eight Degrees Brewing Increases Capacity
Four years in and New Zealander Scott Baigent’s Eight Degrees Brewing company, based in Ireland, is increasing production capacity tenfold. Baigent, (pictured right, with head brewer Mike Magee) a former engineer and Australian…
NZ’s Beauty Garners Tongue-in-Cheek Buzzfeed Response
New Zealand, and why travellers should think twice before visiting, features in a tongue-in-check tourism photo essay on Buzzfeed. The image above of Mt Aoraki mirrored on Lake Matheson is just “urgh”. “The second you…
Lydia Ko takes New Zealand Women’s Open for 2nd-straight victory
Lydia Ko, the 17 year old New Zealand LPGA star sits atop of the golf world with her second straight win of the 2015 season finishing with a 1-under 71 at Clearwater Golf Club…
New Zealander James Lucas Wins Oscar for Short Film
Christchurch-raised James Lucas has won an Oscar in the category Best Live Action Short Film, for his “moving” and “well-deserved” The Phone Call, a star-studded film he co-wrote with friend, Briton Mat Kirkby. “Previous nominee…
Kiwis Claim Thrilling Victory Over Rivals
Auckland is humming. After a month of sublime weather, and on a day in which the Volvo round the world yachts arrived in post, the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of…
BBC’s Adrenalin-Fuelled DJ Zane Lowe Looks Ahead to LA
The “faintly tearful” DJ Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1’s “most enthusiastic music fan, explains why his stomach is churning at the thought of saying goodbye,” bowing out of the network after 12 years for…
Greatest Uniforms in Sports, No. 5: New Zealand All Blacks
“Aggressiveness, intimidation, honour, respect, courage, war—embodied in one uniform. And it only needs one colour to say it all” is how Arden Zwelling describes the New Zealand All Blacks uniform in an article for…
Emilia Wickstead on BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund Shortlist
New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s go-to for gowns, has made the British Fashion Council (BFC)/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund shortlist. Wickstead also made the shortlist in 2013 and 2014. The…
Martin Crowe Inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Cricket’s “most stylish batsman” Martin Crowe, 52, has been inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame on Saturday, the terminally ill former national player describing it as a “great honour” and…
Lydia Ko’s Latest Caddie Lands the Top Gig
Lydia Ko’s search for the right caddie has been an intriguing storyline for the media throughout her short span on the LPGA Tour, but it appears Australian bag man Jason Hamilton, for the foreseeable…
Russell Crowe considers Leeds United takeover
New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe took to social media to address football fans who tweeted him in regards to whether he would take charge of Leeds United FC at Elland Road. In response to fans…
Hagley Oval Integral to Christchurch’s Regeneration
Cricket’s World Cup and the return of top-level sport to Christchurch’s Hagley Park has been integral to the city’s regeneration since the devastating earthquake of 2011, says the Guardian’s Mike Selvey. “To a visiting eye,…
New-Zealand based start-up Xero raises $110M Round
New Zealand based cloud accounting software vendor Xero has announced a $110 million funding round from Silicon Valley venture capital firm Accel Partners and Matrix Capital Management. Xero has long stated that the US market…
Gill Pattison’s Yangon Gallery Part of Myanmar’s Creative Boom
Owner of Yangon’s River Gallery, New Zealander Gill Pattison is part of the city’s creative boom. Myanmar’s art scene is flourishing since military rule was scaled down in the country. “Life in Myanmar at this…
The Bushwhackers Announced For WWE Hall of Fame
New Zealand wrestling legends The Bushwhackers have made the cut into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame Class of 2015. The native New Zealanders who wrestled under the names Luke Williams and…
Breakers a Basketball Outlier With an Inside Track
“The New Zealand Breakers are the most unconventional team in Australia’s National Basketball League,” Scott Cacciola begins in a feature article, part of a series chronicling good basketball around the United States, and the…
Antidote To Mythical Bloodsucking
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows, in which vampires mix with a mockumentary crew, is rapturously reviewed by the Wall St Journal’s Joe Morgenstern. The film, writes Morgenstern, is “a…
That’s ‘70s for Karen Walker in New York
For spring 2015 it was photographer Valerie Finnis. For autumn 2014 is was New Zealand’s suffragettes. This time around, for her autumn 2015 collection presented at New York Fashion Week, Karen Walker focused on…
New Zealand Trounce England at Cricket World Cup
“At the hands of an urgent New Zealand superbly led by Brendon McCullum” Engand’s defeat at the Cricket World Cup in Wellington, “went beyond the realms of simple humiliation and entered that of fantasy,…
New Zealand Beats Britain in Men’s Pursuit Final
New Zealand has beaten Olympic champions Britain in the men’s pursuit final at the track cycling world championships in Saint Quentin en Yvelines, France, the team’s first ever world title and the seventh fastest…
