Tofiga Fepuleaʻi | |
|---|---|
 Fepuleaʻi in 2010 | |
| Born | Tofiga Fepuleaʻi (1974-02-05)February 5, 1974 (age 51) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Education | Rongotai College |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
Tofiga Fepuleaʻi (Samoan pronunciation:[tɔf ˈɪŋa . fɛpʊlɛˈaʔɪ],tor-FING-uhFEH-puu-leh-AH-ih;[1] born February 5, 1974) is aNew Zealand actor and comedian best known as a member of the stand-up comedy duoLaughing Samoans.
Fepuleaʻi was born and grew up inWellington, New Zealand.[2] His mother is Fuamago Malae Malagamaaliʻi Fepuleaʻi from Papa Sataua,Falealupo,Sagone and Fasitoʻouta and his father is Tuʻua Semurana Fepuleaʻi from Fusi Safotulafai andSaleʻaula,Savaiʻi.[3]
He was educated atRongotai College.
Fepuleaʻi's first stand-up comedy show was calledLaughing with Samoans. First performed at theNew Zealand Fringe Festival in Wellington in 2003, it changed name and became a duo performed withEteuati Ete called the Laughing Samoans. Fepuleaʻi and Ete have toured this show around New Zealand, places in the Pacific, Australia and North America.[4] Title of their shows includeLaughing with Samoans (2003),A Small Samoan Wedding (2005),Off Work (2007), andChoka Block (2011) with DVD's produced too.[4] In 2010, they made a television seriesThe Laughing Samoans at Large.[4] The Laughing Samoans disbanded in 2016.
Among the characters Fepuleaʻi and Ete perform in the Laughing Samoans are two women, Aunty Tala and her niece, Fai.[4] Scholar Sarina Pearson says of these characters, "Whether Fepuleaʻi and Ete are enacting a relatively straightforward parody of women or performing yet another layer of gender inversion by parodyingFaʻafafine is ambiguous."[4]
In April 2017, Fepuleaʻi premiered his first solo show calledI Gan't Belive It in Auckland, with presentations in Wellington and Samoa.[3]
The first acting role for Fepuleaʻi in a feature film was in 2020 in the filmTake Home Pay.[5]
In 2021, his showSorry bout it was part of theNew Zealand Comedy Festival national tour and featuresJames Nokise as the opening act.[6][7][5]
Fepuleaʻi was a youth worker for 12 years and he has a company 3Sons that hold school holiday programmes for Pasifika boys calledo aʻu lea (this is me) about wellbeing and identity.[5]
Alongside Inangaro Vakaafi, Fepuleaʻi has been co-hosting a mid-morning radio show calledIsland Time on Radio 531pi (Pacific Media).[8]
He appeared as a contestant on season 5 ofTaskmaster New Zealand.[9] He was ill for the show's studio segments, so his position was filled in by previous contestantsMadeleine Sami,Matt Heath,Josh Thomson,Bubbah andChris Parker.
He provided the voice of Nalo inMoana 2.[10]
In 2025 he was presented the Reilly Comedy Award from theVariety Artists Club of New Zealand.[11][12]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)