Hori Ahipene

{{Short description|Actor, director, playwright in New Zealand}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2024}}

Hori Ahipene is an actor and director in theatre, film and television in New Zealand. He is also an award-winning playwright with the Māori play Hide 'n Seek co-written with Hone Kouka.{{cite web|url=http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Writers/Profiles/Kouka,+Hone|title=- New Zealand Book Council|website=Bookcouncil.org.nz|accessdate=25 November 2017}} He became a well-known face in New Zealand for his dramatic performances in films such as Jubilee (2000), as well as The Piano (1993) and a guest role Xena: Warrior Princess in 2001. A versatile actor, he has also played lead roles in television sketch series, including the 1990s hit Skitz, The Semisis, Telly Laughs and Away Laughing.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WUGQiQekULcC&q=Hori+Ahipene&pg=PA205|title=The Frangipani is Dead: Contemporary Pacific Art in New Zealand, 1985–2000|first=Karen|last=Stevenson|date=25 November 2017|publisher=Huia Publishers|isbn=9781869693251|accessdate=25 November 2017|via=Google Books}} Most recently he was in the core cast of Maddigan's Quest and currently plays the role of "Angel" in the television drama Outrageous Fortune.{{cite web|url=http://www.outrageousfortune.co.nz/people/cast/hori-ahipene/|title=Outrageous Fortune – The official site » Hori Ahipene|website=Outrageousfortune.co.nz|accessdate=25 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024165457/http://www.outrageousfortune.co.nz/people/cast/hori-ahipene/|archive-date=24 October 2014|url-status=dead}} He is an accomplished director with more than 15 years in the arts industry. He was a senior director on Skitz as well as long-running Māori-language programmes Korero Mai and Pukana. He was a creator and co-writer of the sitcom B&B with comedian Te Radar for Māori Television.

Ahipene studied acting at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School. He graduated in 1989 with a Diploma in Acting.{{Cite web|title=Graduate|url=https://www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz/graduate|access-date=2021-08-09|website=www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz}} He has worked in theatre as an actor and as a theatre director.