Miriama Smith

{{Infobox person

| name = Miriama Smith

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|6|3}}

| occupation = Film and television actress

| known for = Dana McNichol in Mercy Peak
Elsa/Principal Randall in Power Rangers Dino Thunder
Brady Trubridge in Filthy Rich

| children = 1

| years_active = 1991–present

| spouse = Dylan Marychurch

}}

Miriama Te Rangimarie Smith (born 3 June 1976) is a New Zealand film and television actress who has played roles in various TV shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess, Karaoke High and Shortland Street.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10350471|title=Miriama Smith does the catwalk during Fashion Week|date=15 October 2005|access-date=3 April 2019|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=12027479|title=Ladies' charity lunch place to be in June|last=Johnston|first=Will|date=6 April 2018|access-date=3 April 2019|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}} Her best-known roles, however, were Moz in the third season of The Tribe, Dana McNichol in Mercy Peak, and Elsa / Principal Randall in the 2004 Power Rangers series, Power Rangers Dino Thunder. She was one of the three judges on the first season of entertainment show New Zealand's Got Talent that aired on Prime TV in 2008. She starred as Brady Trubridge on the TVNZ 2 drama series Filthy Rich.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/tv-guide-competitions/82380394/kiwi-actress-miriama-smith-on-love-marriage-and-the-man-drought|title=Finding Aroha host Miriama Smith on love, marriage and the man drought|website=Stuff|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}}

Life and career

Smith was born in Rotorua, New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvone_minisite_story_skin/1580790|title=Miriama Smith {{!}} {{!}} TV ONE {{!}} tvnz.co.nz|website=tvnz.co.nz|access-date=3 April 2019}} She is of Te Arawa descent.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11684672|title=Miriama Smith looking for Aroha|last=Easther|first=Elisabeth |work=New Zealand Herald|date=30 July 2016|access-date=3 April 2019|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}}

Smith started her acting career when she was a teen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/miriama-smith|title=Miriama Smith {{!}} NZ On Screen|website=www.nzonscreen.com|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} She did a few commercials and a role in one episode of the TV show Shark in the Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/miriama-smith/biography|title=Miriama Smith {{!}} NZ On Screen|website=www.nzonscreen.com|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} She was in the movie The Other Side of Heaven in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/the-other-side-of-heaven-sequel-release-date-trailer-video-1202486408/|title=‘The Other Side Of Heaven’ Sequel, Two Decades In The Making, Gets A Release Date And Trailer|last=Hipes|first=Patrick|date=22 October 2018|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} She played Elsa / Principal Randall in the 2004 Power Rangers Dino Thunder, which was filmed in New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/25496-power-rangers-dino-thunder-reboot-tommy-green-ranger-movie|title=The Best 'Power Rangers' Reboot Aired in 2004|last=Francisco|first=Eric|website=Inverse|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10560372|title='Power Rangers' defeated|last=Eriksen|first=Alanah May |date=6 March 2009|access-date=3 April 2019|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777|work=New Zealand Herald}}

She starred in the 2005 Australian TV show Last Man Standing.{{Cite web|url=https://junkee.com/revisited-why-last-man-standing-was-bloody-good-australian-tv/45156|title=Revisited: Why Last Man Standing Was Bloody Good Australian TV|date=21 November 2014|website=Junkee|language=en-US|access-date=3 April 2019}} In 2013, she starred in the movie Mt. Zion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/beauty-news/9689394/In-my-beauty-bag-Miriama-Smith|title=In my beauty bag: Miriama Smith|website=Stuff|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} Mt. Zion was a box office success.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mt-zion-tops-new-zealand-419126|title='Mt Zion' Tops the New Zealand Box Office|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} From 26 February till 2 March 2014, she acted in the play Paniora!, by Briar Grace-Smith, based on the life of Manuel Huerta, at the Soundings Theatre in Te Papa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/9742795/Maori-and-Spanish-mix-in-bi-cultural-love-tale|title=Maori and Spanish mix in bi-cultural love tale|website=Stuff|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}}

In 2016, Smith was the presenter for Finding Aroha on the Māori Television. She starred in the New Zealand show Filthy Rich in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/94164847/filthy-richs-miriama-smith-talks-the-shows-unapologetic-second-season|title=Filthy Rich's Miriama Smith talks the show's 'unapologetic' second season|website=Stuff|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}} In 2018, it was announced she would be in the TV series adaption of the New Zealand movie The Dead Lands by streaming site Shudder.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/news/988225-series-based-on-maori-action-film-the-deadlands-ordered-by-shudder|title=Series Based on Māori Action Film The Deadlands Ordered by Shudder|date=27 September 2018|website=ComingSoon.net|language=en-US|access-date=3 April 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12132065|title=Māori action flick The Dead Lands scores series on AMC streaming service Shudder|date=26 September 2018|access-date=3 April 2019|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}} In 2018, she was chosen to be the voice of the te reo Maori announcement of the Auckland's train system.{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/360392/auckland-trains-up-on-te-reo-maori|title=Auckland trains up on te reo Māori|date=25 June 2018|website=Radio New Zealand|language=en-nz|access-date=3 April 2019}} She returned for the sequel The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith, which was released in 2019.

On 31 January 2025, Smith was named in the cast for upcoming Netflix series The Survivors.{{Cite web |last=Brzeski |first=Patrick |date=2025-01-30 |title=Netflix’s Tasmanian Crime Series ‘The Survivors’ Reveals Cast, First Look |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-tasmanian-crime-series-the-survivors-cast-first-look-1236122232/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}

Personal life

Smith is married to Dylan Marychurch and they have a son together.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/why-miriama-smith-felt-so-torn-between-family-and-work-37861|title=Why Miriama Smith felt so torn between family and her work|website=Now To Love|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/7877111/What-the-gossip-mags-say|title=What the gossip mags say|website=Stuff|language=en|access-date=3 April 2019}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

! Title

! Year

! Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes

1998

| The Amazing Adventures of Moko Toa

| Hara

| Direct-to-video

2001

|The Other Side of Heaven

| Lavinia

2001

| Exposure

| Elena

| Direct-to-video

2002

|Toy Love

| Hinemoa

2004

| Spooked

| Ruby Elder

2007

| We're Here to Help

| Kath Harper

| Nominated — Qantas Film and Television Award for Performance by an Actress in a leading role in Film

2011

|Netherwood

| Maria

2013

| Mt. Zion

| Layla

| Nominated — Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Award for Best Actress

2019

|The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith

|Lavinia

2020

|Love and Monsters

|Maya

2024

|Ka Whawhai Tonu

|Turama

|{{cite web |title=Ka Whawhai Tonu |url=https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/ka-whawhai-tonu |publisher=New Zealand Film Commission |access-date=27 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409164429/https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/films/ka-whawhai-tonu |archive-date=9 April 2024 |url-status=live}}