Rachel House ONZM
House at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Rachel Jessica Te Ao Maarama House (1971-10-20) 20 October 1971 (age 52)[1] Auckland, New Zealand
Occupations	Actress director
Years active	1992–present
Notable work	Whale Rider Boy White Lies Hunt for the Wilderpeople Moana Thor: Ragnarok Soul

Rachel Jessica Te Ao Maarama House ONZM (born 20 October 1971) is a New Zealand actress and director. She is best known for her roles in the films Whale Rider (2002), Boy (2010), White Lies (2013), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Moana (2016), Bellbird (2019) and Soul (2020). She is a series regular on TV in the 2022 reboot of Heartbreak High as Principal Stacy "Woodsy" Woods and is a recurring character in the New Zealand Dark comedy-drama Creamerie as Doc Harvey. She is also a regular fixture of New Zealand theatre.

Early life

House was born 20 October 1971 in Auckland and raised in Kamo, Whangarei by her adoptive Scottish parents John and Sheila House.^[1][2] She is of Māori (Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāi Tahu) and European descent.^[2]

Career

Acting

House attended the New Zealand national drama school, Toi Whakaari, graduating in 1992.^[2] She went into stage work with the Pacific Underground Theatre and the Auckland Theatre Company.^[2]

She has acted in several major productions that have toured nationally and internationally, including Hone Kouka's Waiora, Carol Anne Duffy's The Worlds Wife and the UK/New Zealand co-production of Beauty and the Beast.^[2]

House's film work has included roles in Whale Rider, Eagle vs Shark, Boy, and White Lies.^[3] Her television appearances include Maddigan's Quest and Gaylene Preston's series Hope and Wire.^[3] Jason Buchanan of the Rovi corporation wrote: "While she may not necessarily possess traditional Hollywood good looks, House has an undeniably distinct persona onscreen and exhibits just the kind of charisma that could prove the foundation for an enduring career."^[4]

In 2016, House appeared in Taika Waititi's feature film Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It became the top grossing New Zealand film of all time at the New Zealand box office.^[5]

House voiced Gramma Tala in the 2016 Disney animated film Moana.^[6] In 2017, she played Grandmaster's bodyguard Topaz in Thor: Ragnarok.^[7][8] In 2019, she was one of the leading roles in Bellbird, a film that received several awards at several international film festivals.^[9][10][11] In 2020, she voiced Terry in the Pixar animated film Soul.^[12]

She plays one of the main roles in the Australian 2023 comedy drama series Bay of Fires.^[13]

House is a frequent collaborator of director Taika Waititi, appearing in his films Eagle vs Shark, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok, and serving as acting coach for the young actors on Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Jojo Rabbit. She was also an acting coach for Everything We Loved, The Dark Horse, The Rehearsal and the second season of the series Top of the Lake.^{[citation needed]}

Directing

House has directed several theatrical performances.^[2]

In 2010, she directed Kylie Meehan's short film The Winter Boy, produced by Hineani Melbourne for the New Zealand Film Commission's Premiere Shorts.^[2]

In 2012, House directed the Māori-language version of Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, Toroihi rāua ko Kahira, adapted by Te Haumihiata Mason and set in a classical Māori and a pre-colonial Māori world. It was performed as part of an international series at London's Globe Theatre.^[2][14] Other theatre directing work includes the award-winning production of Hinepau, which House also co-adapted from Gavin Bishop's original book and toured both nationally and internationally, Neil La Bute's The Mercy Seat and Hui by longtime collaborator Mitch Tawhi Thomas that premiered at the Auckland Arts Festival in 2013.^[2]

In 2016, House directed Auckland-based theatre company Silo Theatre's production of Medea, a contemporary retelling of the Euripides myth created by Australian theatre-makers Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks.^[15]

Recognition

In 1995, House won the "Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year" Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for her one-woman show Nga Pou Wahine by Briar Grace-Smith.^[2] In 2000 she won Most Outstanding Performance for her role in Witi Ihimaera's critically acclaimed play Woman Far Walking (as Tiriti, a 160-year-old woman)^[16] and in 2003, Best Supporting Actress 8n Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People.^[2]

House won the 2001 Director of the Year award at both the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards and the New Zealand Listener Awards for her direction of Mitch Tawhi Thomas' play Have Car Will Travel.^[2]

She attended the Prague Film School in 2008 and was awarded Best Director and Best Film Audience Award for her two short films made while studying there.^[2]

In 2012, she received the New Zealand Arts Foundation's Laureate Award, which is given as an investment in excellence across a range of art forms for an artist with prominence and outstanding potential for future growth. In the same year, she won Production of the Year and Director of the Year at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards, for her direction of Toroihi rāua ko Kahira.^[2]

In 2016, House received the WIFT (Women in Film & Television) NZ Mana Wāhine Award for her prolific contribution to theatre and film, both in front of and behind the camera.^[17]

In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, House was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the performing arts.^[18]

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Actor

Director

Awards