Oscar Kightley is a Samoan-born writer, actor, and director who grew up in New Zealand and has been instrumental in creating critically acclaimed, award-winning work across stage, television, and film.
He co-wrote and starred in Sione’s Wedding (2006), a film that broke domestic box office records upon its release. Its successful sequel followed in 2012, and in 2022, Oscar completed work on DuckRockers, a prequel comedy series for TV2 based on the beloved characters from the films.
A pioneering force in Pacific storytelling, Oscar co-created and starred in Bro’ Town, a prime-time animated comedy series that gained a massive following and was broadcast internationally.
Beyond television and film, Oscar’s work has been widely recognised. He is a Qantas Award-winning journalist and has received numerous accolades, including the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award, an Arts Foundation Laureate, and the Sir Peter Blake Trust Emerging Leader Award. He was also appointed to the Council of Creative NZ and was awarded an MNZM (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) medal from the Queen for his contributions to television and theatre.
In 2016, he was named Senior Pacific Artist at the Creative NZ Arts Pasifika Awards, and in 2019, he received the Fulbright Creative NZ Pacific Writer’s Residency at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.
Over the years, Oscar has worked across a diverse range of projects, with highlights including Super City II, Harry, Following Twain, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Moana, Dawn Raid, and Next Goal Wins.
As a founding member of the legendary comedy troupe The Naked Samoans, who have been performing on stage for over two decades. He was also involved in producing the All Blacks documentary All or Nothing, commissioned by Amazon Prime Video which was awesome!
Oscar continues to work on exciting projects both nationally and internationally, remaining a powerful voice in Pacific storytelling.
Talking Points
He was awesome! Totally nailed the brief - was thoughtful, really funny and bought the best out of the other speakers. ... keep reading Auckland Council
Oscar was a delight to work with. He was friendly and professional. He delivered exactly what we were after and was fantastic when we had to make last minute changes.
