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Oscar was born in Samoa and emigrated to New Zealand when he was four years old. Oscar first recognised his ability to make people laugh when he was a school boy, and at Rutherford High he developed his skills in humour and English (but not maths!) further.
He began his career as a reporter with the Auckland Star, Sunday Star and Independent Radio News before moving to Christchurch in 1990 to work on TVNZ’s teenage show Life – he also became part of The Performing Arts Trust and had a presenting role with Life in The Fridge.
A 2006 Laureate Award winner and Qantas award winning journalist, Oscar also co-founded Pacific Underground and the Island Players theatre company which has produced critically acclaimed work.
Oscar won the Bruce Mason playwrights’ award in 1998 and has worked as a performer and writer for a number of television shows including Skitz, Telly Laughs, The Panel, Sportzah and TV3's rugby coverage. His plays include A Frigate Bird Sings which he co-wrote with fellow Naked Samoan, Dave Fane, Dawn Raids, Island Girls, and Niu Sila co-written with Dave Armstrong. Oscar also co-wrote and took a lead role in the highly successful movie Sione’s Wedding, which was released in 2006 in New Zealand and Australia.
Oscar is also one of the Naked Samoans, who've taken their anarchic brand of comedy around the country and even to Scotland. He has been working with the Naked Samoans and Firehorse Films on the immensely popular bro'Town TV series which has now come to an end. However, it seems that bro'Town wont be going forever, a bro'Town movie and some TV specials has also been talked about for the future and Series 5 is being released on a DVD.
In April 2009 Oscar was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Television and the Theatre. “It’s a pretty big honour,” said Oscar, “It does make all the hard work worthwhile; I’m totally bowled over by it but I’m not taking it as a sign of having achieved anything but more a sign that you are on a good path and just to keep going and get better, really.”
Oscar's time has been fully committed to bro’Town, his TV3 projects, live theatre shows … and perhaps just a little bit of socialising when time permits. He's a very inspiring speaker and is often asked to MC conferences and special events.
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