David Rodney Fane (born 28 December 1966) is a New Zealand actor of Samoan descent.

Early life and education

Fane was educated at St. Pauls College in

Grey Lynn Grey Lynn is an inner suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, located to the west of the city centre. Originally a separate borough, Grey Lynn amalgamated with Auckland City in 1914. Grey Lynn is centred on Grey Lynn Park, which was not part of the ...

Career

Fane got into acting quite late and trained at the New Zealand Drama School Toi Whakaari, graduating with a Diploma in Acting in 1992, which he upgraded to a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting) in 2003. He first appeared on television in a sketch comedy show called SKITZ alongside future

Naked Samoans The Naked Samoans is a New Zealand comedy group made up of Polynesian entertainers, most of whom are Samoan. The group performs social humour and satire that attracts a broad audience, especially among white New Zealanders, without sacrificing th ...

Oscar Kightley Oscar Vai To'elau Kightley (born 14 September 1969) is a Samoan-born New Zealand actor, television presenter, writer, journalist, director, and comedian. He acted in and co-wrote the successful 2006 film ''Sione's Wedding''. Biography Kightley ...

and

Robbie Magasiva Robbie Joseph Magasiva (born 21 May 1972) is a Samoan-New Zealander actor who has starred in several films and as a member of the Naked Samoans comedy troupe. He has also appeared on television and in theatre, and was the co-presenter of New Z ...

. He then did the sitcom spinoff "The Semisis" in which he played the father and the minister. In 2004 he performed in a play written by

and Dave Andrews called ''Niu Sila''. The play won the Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for Outstanding New Zealand Play of the Year. Fane was a founding member of

. He played a leading role in

Sione's Wedding ''Sione's Wedding'' (also marketed outside New Zealand as ''Samoan Wedding'') is a 2006 New Zealand comedic film directed by Chris Graham and written by James Griffin and Oscar Kightley, and produced by South Pacific Pictures. Plot Set in Au ...

. Other roles include parts in

The Tattooist ''The Tattooist'' is a 2007 New Zealand horror film directed by Peter Burger and starring Jason Behr, Nathaniel Lees, Michael Hurst and Robbie Magasiva among others. The film is the first in a series of official co-productions between New Zeala ...

bro'Town ''bro'Town'' is a New Zealand adult animated comedy television series and sitcom that ran from 2004 to 2009. It starred David Fane, Mario Gaoa, Shimpal Lelisi and Oscar Kightley. Overview The main characters in the series are five 14 yea ...

, Outrageous Fortune and the lead role in

Diplomatic Immunity Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law by which certain foreign government officials are recognized as having legal immunity from the jurisdiction of another country.

. Fane is part host on the TV2 series "Island Wars" and morning host for the New Zealand radio station Flava 95.8 for 10 years. In 2016, Fane was awarded the Emerging Pacific Artist award with

at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifka Awards. In the

2023 New Year Honours The 2023 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...

, Fane was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to the performing arts.

Controversy

In 2010, at the inaugural Radio Roast Fane pushed insult comedy boundaries when roasting advertising executives in front of a celebrity audience. He said that "Hitler had a right", people living with HIV deserved to be "roasted", and "Jews were expendable". The media, taking the incident out of context, suggested it was a drunken tirade when in fact it was in line with the theme of the night, a risque comedy Roast and Fane was explicitly instructed on what line to take. Fane abjectly apologised to the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) and New Zealand Jewish Council. Both organisations accepted his apology on behalf of their communities.http://www.throng.co.nz/radiradirah/dave-fane-gets-roasted

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

Dave Fane at tvnz.co.nz
*
David Fane profile on NZ On Screen
1966 births New Zealand people of Samoan descent Actors of Samoan descent New Zealand male film actors New Zealand male television actors People educated at St Paul's College, Auckland Living people Toi Whakaari alumni Indigenous actors Actors from Auckland Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit {{NewZealand-actor-stub