Heather Rima Te Wiata (born 11 October 1963) is a New Zealand actress, comedian, singer and voice artist, who is also notable for her career in Australia. Her career in stage, TV and film has spanned over 50 years and she is especially known her long-running recurring role in TV soap opera Sons and Daughters as Janice Reid in 204 episodes.
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Early life
Te Wiata was born in London, England, the only child of opera singer Inia Te Wiata and actress and writer Beryl Te Wiata, on 11 October 1963. She is of the Ngāti Raukawa iwi. Her father died when she was eight years old, and she and her mother returned to New Zealand two years later. They settled in Auckland, where Te Wiata attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School. After leaving school she initially wanted to become a dentist, and worked as a dentist's assistant.
Career
Te Wiata has been a performer since the age of 10. Having sung in TV presenter's Max Cryer's children's choir, by 17 she made her stage debut in a production of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at Auckland's Mercury Theatre, and later attended the New Zealand Drama School. After graduating in 1983, she went on a six month national tour, singing in Footrot Flats.
She made her screen debut in 1986 on the long-running Australian soap Sons and Daughters, playing the role of Janice Reid for two years. On her return to New Zealand she appeared in a number of television series including Shortland Street, the police drama Shark in the Park, comedies The Billy T James Show and Porters, and sketch shows Laughinz, Issues and More Issues. Her roles in these sketch shows were written by David McPhail, Jon Gadsby and A. K. Grant and included impersonations of politician and future Prime Minister Helen Clark and newsreader Judy Bailey. The show won her the Viewers' Choice Most Popular Female on TV Award for two consecutive years, before she left the series in 1992.
