Oscar Kightley

Oscar Kightley was born in Samoa and immigrated to New Zealand with his mother when he was
four years old. Oscar first recognised his ability to make people laugh when he was a school boy,
and at Rutherford High, he developed his skills in humour and English (but not maths!) further.
Following a cadetship at The Auckland Star, Oscar moved into working in radio and television
starting behind the scenes and then moving to a presenting role with Life in The Fridge based in
Christchurch.

A 2006 Laureate Award winner and Qantas award winning journalist, Oscar also co-founded Pacific
Underground and the Island Players theatre company which has produced critically acclaimed work.
Oscar won the Bruce Mason playwrights’ award in 1998 and has worked as a performer and writer for a number of television shows including Skitz, Telly Laughs, The Panel, Sportzah and TV3's rugby coverage. His plays include A Frigate Bird Sings which he co-wrote with fellow Naked Samoan, Dave Fane, Dawn Raids, Island Girls, and Niu Sila co-written with Dave Armstrong. Oscar also co-wrote and took a lead role in the highly successful movie Sione’s Wedding, which was released in 2006 in New Zealand and Australia. Oscar was appointed to the Council of Creative New Zealand in 2007 and currently still sits on this council. In 2008, Oscar was awarded a Sir Peter Blake Trust Emerging Leader Award. And in 2009, Oscar received The New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to television and theatre.

Oscar is also one of the Naked Samoans, who've taken their anarchic brand of comedy around the country and even to Scotland. With the Naked Samoans and Firehorse Films he completed the fifth series of bro'Town in 2009. Oscar co wrote bro’Town with David Fane, Mario Gaoa and Shimpal Lelisi and is well known for his voice over character Vale.

Currently Oscar’s time is fully committed to a new sketch series with Firehorse Films, current TV3 projects, live theatre shows … and perhaps just a little bit of socialising when time permits.