Shimpal Lelisi
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Profile
Auckland based
Auckland based
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1641
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1627
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1588
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1584
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1539
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1526
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1507
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1641
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1627
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1588
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1584
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1539
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1526
S Lelesi_8x10_ACP_1507
Acting
Skills
Acting Experience
Feature Film
South Pacific Pictures Dir: Simon Bennett
South Pacific Pictures Dir: Chris Graham
Kahukura Productions Dir: Jason Stutter
John Swimmer Produnctions Dir: Harry Sinclair
Television
South Pacific Pictures Dir: Oscar Kightley, Sima Urale
MediaWorks Dir: Various
Down Low Concept Dir: Gerard Johnstone
Firehorse Films Dir: Various
Firehorse Films
Comedia Pictures
South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures Dir: Various
Isambard Productions Dir: Jim Kaufman
John Swimmer Productions Dir: Harry Sinclair
Theatre
Auckland Theatre Company Dir: Colin McColl
Auckland Theatre Company Dir: Alison Quigan
Web Series
Culture Factory Dir: Hanelle Harris
Short Film
Dir: Dianna Fuemana
Television Commercials
NZ, 8 weeks
NZ, 6 weeks
Television Appearances
TVNZ
TVNZ
TV2
Awards
NZ Screen Awards
NZ Film & Television Awards
Voice
Voice Characteristics
Retail, Character, Bloke, Comedy, Energetic, Friendly, Gaming, UpbeatComedy
Comedy
Biography
Shimpal Lelisi, born in Niue and raised in Auckland, is the sole Niuean member of THE NAKED SAMOANS. His comedy career started in 1987 with Pacific Theatre, where he learned Fale Aitu, a traditional Polynesian form of comedy. In 1997, Lelisi co-founded The Naked Samoans, a group that explored their experiences as Pacific Islanders in Auckland. They debuted at the NZ Comedy Festival in 1998, followed by six years of national touring and four different plays. In 2002, they had a sold-out season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2006, they independently produced “Naked Samoans Go Home (Again),” another successful national tour. The group performed periodically, culminating in their 20th-anniversary show “Naked Samoans Do Magic” in 2018, which was commissioned by the Auckland Arts Festival. Their most recent live show, “The Last Temptation of the Naked Samoans,” was a sold-out success at the 2025 NZ International Comedy Festival, praised by critics for its humour, heart, and the group’s enduring status as Pacific storytelling icons.
TELEVISION
From 2004 to 2009, The Naked Samoans wrote, co-produced, and voiced the critically acclaimed New Zealand television series bro’Town. The show ran for five seasons, winning multiple awards for both the program and its writing, including numerous New Zealand Screen Awards and Qantas Television Awards for Best Comedy Programme and Best Comedy Script. bro’Town was lauded for its “edgy social satire,” humor, and cultural significance, offering a Pasifika perspective. It was a massive ratings success, often winning its time slot.
Simple has also been one of the contributing writer, director, performer for Fresh TV for the past 14 years https://www.youtube.com/@FRESHTV
FILM
Midway through bro’Town‘s run, Lelisi was nominated again — this time for acting in big screen comedy Sione’s Wedding. Like bro’Town, Sione’s Wedding was a breakthrough in terms of presenting Pasifika characters on-screen. It quickly became the most commercially-successful Kiwi comedy released in Aotearoa (until Boy in 2010). Sequel Sione’s 2 – Unfinished Business was released in 2012.
