Tai Freligh chats with Chief of War star Te Ao o Hinepehinga…
Polynesian (Maori) actress Te Ao o Hinepehinga has a key role in the highly anticipated Apple TV+ drama series Chief of War, releasing August 1, 2025. Te will be seen acting alongside Jason Momoa playing his wife ‘Kupuohi’. Shot in Hawaii, the cast includes Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Luciane Buchanan, and Cliff Curtis to name a few. The thrilling adventure is about an unprecedented telling of the unification of the Hawaiian Islands from an indigenous perspective at the turn of the 18th century. The series follows a Native Hawaiian warrior who joins a bloody campaign to unite the warring islands in order to save them from the threat of colonization (based on the true story of Ka’iana). Flickering Myth’s Tai Freligh chatted with her about the television series, working with Jason Momoa, and how her indigenous background helps inform her acting career and personal passion for cultural preservation and community work.
Chief of War sounds like an incredibly ambitious project, telling the story of Hawaiian unification from an indigenous perspective. As a Māori actress, what was it like stepping into the shoes of Kupuohi, the wife of Jason Momoa’s character, and contributing to such a significant narrative that resonates with your own heritage?
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. That’s not a joke. In my village, our stories, our Pūrakau are sacred. Polynesians are oral historians, stories aren’t simply entertainment to us. They hold the identity of our people, they are what keep our culture and history alive. To be trusted with the story of Hawaii was a gift and responsibility I did not feel worthy of. It is only because of the openness of Kanaka Maoli and their generosity to share their knowledge and history, that I felt capable of embodying a woman as powerful as Kupuohi.
Your background is fascinating – from being raised in a political family deeply involved in indigenous activism to your career as a dancer before acting. How do you feel these diverse experiences have shaped your approach to portraying historical and culturally significant characters like Kupuohi?
For this particular role, it actually screwed me up a little. As a Māori, I view all Polynesians as “distant cousins”, a familial bond that is both similar and vastly different. And though I was blessed with many incredible female role models, they were māori and so the mannerisms I learnt were māori. Same but different. It was like blind taste testing apples, you know one is green and one is red but try picking the right one. I was constantly battling my natural instincts because they felt so at home within this story and often, I found myself wondering, is this right? Or am I on the wrong island? I’m sure my Kanaka friends will let me know if I managed to stay true.
The series was shot in Hawaii, bringing together a cast that includes powerhouses like Jason Momoa and Cliff Curtis. Can you share any memorable experiences or insights from working on location in Hawaii, and what was the dynamic like amongst the cast, especially given the shared indigenous roots of many involved?
Hmm… where to begin? There’s the volcano that erupted while we were filming about a volcanic eruption. Or the series of cyclones that caused more than a few delays, it was an eventful production… But that was the beauty of this cast, we were all there for the story, for the people of Hawai’i. Everything just felt right. Which is so at odds with how I felt walking in. Panicked, intimidated. And I mean who wouldn’t? Cliff Curtis? Temuera Morrison! I mean, come on! You put a little Māori dreamer from the middle of nowhere in a production of powerhouse Polynesians, of course I’m going to freak out. Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one.
Can you talk a little about working with Jason Momoa and what he brings to a project like this?
Jason is not someone easily described in words, there are many facets to that man. I think his actions on this project speak volumes about the love and dedication he has for his people and culture. It’s the reason we all came together. The man had a vision and the determination to do it the way his people would be proud of. That is no small feat in this industry.
You’ve had a rapid rise in television, from Black Hands to Head High and Breakwater. How has the experience of working on a large-scale international production like Chief of War compared to your previous roles, particularly in terms of the scope and indigenous storytelling?
We have been very lucky in Aotearoa, the TV and Film industry we have created sets a very high standard not only in work ethic but storytelling as well. Creatives like Merata Mita and Lee Tamahori created a space where indigenous storytelling can thrive and maintain its authenticity. To learn and grow in that kind of environment, as a young Māori, it was the perfect setting to prepare me for what was to come. It’s for that reason, I felt capable of doing my job, because I had been groomed to protect and care for our stories. It is for that reason I think Pa’a Sibbett and Jason Momoa wanted to work with our industry here in Aotearoa, so that we might help them do the same with their story.
Beyond your acting, you’re a founding member of ICAN, providing free workshops to artists in Hawaii. How do you balance your demanding acting career with your passion for indigenous cultural preservation and community work, and what do you hope to achieve through ICAN?
I’m Māori. It’s in my blood to care for the community. Community is the foundation of Māoritanga and though my interest in acting has taken me all over the world, that sense of duty is not something I could ever leave behind. Every day I spend acting is a reminder of all the hard work and sacrifices that have been made so that I can have this freedom to express and share our Pūrakau. It is for them I continue to find ways to uplift and empower our local indigenous communities, so that the legacy might continue and we fill the world with more untold stories of the indigenous world. Hawaii and Aotearoa are just the start.
Given your fluency in Māori and French, and your dedication to indigenous culture, do you foresee a future where you might incorporate these linguistic or cultural elements more directly into your acting roles, or perhaps even explore behind-the-scenes work to further indigenous storytelling?
I would love to work in a French film! I have a very long way to go before I’m ready for that but I’m up for the challenge! The culture and language are such beautiful ways to explore the world; it’s the part of the human experience that makes us all unique but also deeply connected. Given the opportunity to work with a community to share their culture, it would be an honour. But I’m not one to limit myself, I’d like to play a role that goes beyond cultural heritage and just tell a really beautiful story. Or maybe I’ll give directing a go? I’ve been set loose on the world, anything is possible now.
You’ve mentioned your love for activities like yoga, weightlifting, and even baking. When you’re immersed in a powerful and intense project like Chief of War, how do these personal hobbies help you unwind, recharge, and maintain a sense of balance?
I would like to say the gym is my sanctuary, but truthfully my health and fitness habits are the first things to disappear when I get busy. I’m what you would call an “emotional baker”, any strong emotion and I’m in the kitchen. Stress, joy, anger, my poor co-stars are being slowly fattened up by the consequences of the emotional rollercoaster I’m on…which is all well and good until someone has to do a shirtless scene. Sorry guys.
Chief of War follows the epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawai‘i at the turn of the 18th century. Told from an indigenous perspective, Chief of War is a passion project for creators Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, who both share native Hawaiian heritage. The series features a predominantly Polynesian cast, led by Momoa alongside Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale’o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka,Te Kohe Tuhaka and Benjamin Hoetjes.
The show is produced for Apple TV+ by FIFTH SEASON and Chernin Entertainment. Momoa directs the season finale and serves as executive producer. Doug Jung serves as showrunner and executive produces along with Sibbett, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Tracey Cook and Brian Mendoza. Justin Chon directs the first two episodes and serves as executive producer. Anders Engstrom, Jim Rowe, Molly Allen, Francis Lawrence and Tim Van Patten also serve as executive producers. Grammy and Academy Award winning composer, Hans Zimmer wrote the theme music and co-produced the score for all nine episodes with composer, James Everingham, during his tenure with Bleeding Fingers Music, the multiple Emmy Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated composer collective co-founded by Zimmer in 2013.
Many thanks to Te Ao o Hinepehinga for taking the time for this interview. She is on Instagram and the IMDb.
The show has a page on Apple TV+. You can see her in Chief of War when it premieres on August 1st, 2025 on Apple TV+.
Tai Freligh writes about entertainment and pop culture for Flickering Myth from sunny Huntington Beach, California…just a hop and a skip from Los Angeles. He can be found on Threads, Blue Sky, TikTok and his website.
