Array
(
[0] => Actors
)
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[credits] => Array
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(
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[year_from] => 2020
[year_to] =>
[role] => Hank
[title] => Money Honey
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Isaac Knights-Washbourn
)
[1] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Short Film
[year_from] => 2017
[year_to] =>
[role] => Starsky
[title] => Waiting
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Amberley Jo Aumua
)
[2] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Short Film
[year_from] => 2012
[year_to] =>
[role] => Aleki
[title] => Night Shift
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Zia Mandviwalla
)
[3] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Television
[year_from] => 2020
[year_to] =>
[role] => Lost Youth
[title] => Ahikāroa SEASON 3
[company] => Kura Productions
[producer] =>
[director] =>
)
[4] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Television
[year_from] => 2019
[year_to] =>
[role] => Crip City Boys
[title] => BIG MAN: The Jonah Lomu Story
[company] => Great Southern TV
[producer] =>
[director] =>
)
[5] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Non Broadcast
[year_from] =>
[year_to] =>
[role] => Photo Shoot
[title] => Solo Show
[company] =>
[producer] => Piha Boys
[director] =>
)
)
)
Array
(
[0] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Short Film
[year_from] => 2020
[year_to] =>
[role] => Hank
[title] => Money Honey
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Isaac Knights-Washbourn
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[1] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Short Film
[year_from] => 2017
[year_to] =>
[role] => Starsky
[title] => Waiting
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Amberley Jo Aumua
)
[2] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Short Film
[year_from] => 2012
[year_to] =>
[role] => Aleki
[title] => Night Shift
[company] =>
[producer] =>
[director] => Zia Mandviwalla
)
[3] => stdClass Object
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[prod_type] => Television
[year_from] => 2020
[year_to] =>
[role] => Lost Youth
[title] => Ahikāroa SEASON 3
[company] => Kura Productions
[producer] =>
[director] =>
)
[4] => stdClass Object
(
[prod_type] => Television
[year_from] => 2019
[year_to] =>
[role] => Crip City Boys
[title] => BIG MAN: The Jonah Lomu Story
[company] => Great Southern TV
[producer] =>
[director] =>
)
[5] => stdClass Object
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[prod_type] => Non Broadcast
[year_from] =>
[year_to] =>
[role] => Photo Shoot
[title] => Solo Show
[company] =>
[producer] => Piha Boys
[director] =>
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)
Desmond Malakai is the eldest of twelve siblings and recently graduated from Unitec Performing Arts. In 2025 he attended Shanghai Theatre Summer School in China, where he expanded his skills in accents, filmmaking, and gained valuable experience in both theatre and film.
He has appeared in lead roles in award-winning short films such as Waiting and Money Honey, the latter of which was featured at the Berlin Film Festival. He also played a role in the Jonah Lomu TV series. Desmond has recently wrapped on God Bless You, Mr Kopu, set for release in 2026.
Desmond enjoys collaborating and taking on new challenges to grow his craft. He is currently exploring bouldering, tennis, violin and figure staking, using each new discipline to develop both personally and professionally.
Short Film
Year
Production (Role)
Production Company / Director
Production (Role)
Money Honey (Hank)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Isaac Knights-Washbourn
Production (Role)
Waiting (Starsky)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Amberley Jo Aumua
Production (Role)
Night Shift (Aleki)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Zia Mandviwalla
Television
Year
Production (Role)
Production Company / Director
Production (Role)
Ahikāroa SEASON 3 (Lost Youth)
Production Company / Director
Kura Productions
Production (Role)
BIG MAN: The Jonah Lomu Story (Crip City Boys)
Production Company / Director
Great Southern TV
Year
Production (Role)
Production Company / Director
Production (Role)
Money Honey (Hank)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Isaac Knights-Washbourn
Production (Role)
Waiting (Starsky)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Amberley Jo Aumua
Production (Role)
Night Shift (Aleki)
Production Company / Director
Dir: Zia Mandviwalla
Year
Production (Role)
Production Company / Director
Production (Role)
Ahikāroa SEASON 3 (Lost Youth)
Production Company / Director
Kura Productions
Production (Role)
BIG MAN: The Jonah Lomu Story (Crip City Boys)
Production Company / Director
Great Southern TV
Training:
Mt Albert Grammar (Drama) Yr 9-13 (2017-2021)
Unitec Performing Arts Acting (2023, 2024) Currently 2nd year
Accents & Dialects:
(* = native)
American-New York, American-Southern States, American-Standard, French - Advanced, New Zealand*
Languages:
(* = native/fluent)
English*, French Beginner, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Te Reo Maori - Beginner, Tongan, Vietnamese
Music & Dance:
(* = highly skilled)
Break Dancing, Contemporary Dance*, Hip Hop Dance, Piano, Singing (general), Violin
Sports:
(* = highly skilled)
Athletics*, Basketball, CrossFit*, Ice Skating, Rock Climbing, Rugby, Running, Skateboarding, Softball, Swimming*, Volleyball, Water Polo
Other Skills:
Acrobatics, Improvisation
