Auckland, New Zealand – When Awa Puna, a well-known actress, led a transgender rights march in Auckland last year, she was met with a violent opposition from a group of around 1000 Destiny Church members. The march was organized in protest of British anti-trans activist Posie Parker, who had arrived to tour New Zealand. Awa, 24, who stars in the new TVNZ+ series The Boy, The Queen And Everything In Between, was left shaken by the violent encounter, as she had never experienced transphobia on that scale before.
The event was an eye-opening experience for Awa, who struggled with depression for two weeks following the incident. “I was in a dark space and it affected my self-esteem because I realized there are so many people who think the same thing about people like me and make a conscious effort to scratch out our existence,” she reflects. However, the support of her friends, family, and her partner, Mark, helped her through this difficult time.
Awa and Mark met in 2018 when she was in her first year of drama at Wellington’s Toi Whakaari. Despite her initial hesitation, she found love and support in their relationship. The couple now lives together in Auckland, and Awa attributes her newfound confidence to Mark’s unwavering care and love.
The actress is also working on a short film called The Nephilim, and her short film, Tūī, is set to play at the Māoriland Film Festival on the Kāpiti Coast. Tūī tells the story of a young trans girl discovering her identity while dealing with the loss of her mother. Awa finds inspiration for her work in personal experiences, such as a dream about her late grandmother accepting her for who she is.
However, Awa’s most cherished project to date has been working on The Boy, The Queen And Everything In Between, where she plays the lead character Jacob’s love interest. The series is a love letter to Auckland’s K Road in the ’90s and is particularly meaningful to Awa as it represents an opportunity to work with people who have paved the way for individuals like her in the entertainment industry.
Awa’s resilience and passion for storytelling are evident in her work, and her dedication to advocating for transgender rights continues to inspire many. The Boy, The Queen And Everything In Between is now available for streaming on TVNZ+.