With two kids under 3, there’s plenty of real-life drama for the Kiwi acting duo. As Dr Esther Samuels on Shortland Street , Ngahuia Piripi has dealt with more than her fair share of emotional storylines throughout her nine years on the soap – and the drama isn’t going away any time soon, with the hospital boss currently juggling heart problems, burnout and family issues. Similarly, life outside Ferndale isn’t exactly peaceful for the 34-year-old actress, who is always striving to strike the perfect balance between her busy career and her home life with her longtime partner and former Shorty co-star Teone Kahu.
Their worlds revolve around their beautiful blended whānau, including their son Niau, almost 3, and daughter Aewa, 18 months, as well as Ngahuia’s 15-year-old girl Owairea and Teone’s daughter Neila, 12. “My family is everything,” she tells Woman’s Da y. “In this industry, you have to make you sure you are very intentional and committed to the things that matter and, for me, that’s always whānau.
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