COMEDY KING BAILEY'S KIWI HOMECOMING

After shooting to globalfame , the Don't star talks Hollywood fans and humbling momnents

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He’s of Māori and Samoan descent, and stars in Netflix’s new comedy North Of North, set in a Canadian Inuit community, but growing up in England caused some confusion for Kiwi comedian Bailey Poching.

“I had no real cultural touchstones of how an indigenous Pacific man should behave,” the 27-year-old tells Woman's Day. “I have a British sensibility about me sometimes.”

Bailey, who has Ngāti Whatua ki Kaipara heritage, only moved to New Zealand when he was 19.

He recalls, “My flight from Manchester landed at the same time as a flight from Samoa. I came into the arrivals lounge and saw all these beautiful brown families hugging. It was this really romantic image. I fell in love with Aotearoa so quickly.”

The comedian gained a following with his role in Kid Sister and appearances on 7 Days, but North Of North, which dropped on Netflix in April and has already been renewed for a second season, is definitely his breakout role.

He plays Māori character Colin, who runs the local radio station, and was thrilled when an improvised “kia ora” made the final cut in an episode.

“Colin’s purpose in the show isn’t to be a Māori character, but to be a friend and supportive ear,” explains Bailey. “He has a whole world Of interests, flaws and hypocrisies. I get to pour my version of Māori-ness into that character and I'm not beholden to representing an experience or an identity that I don’t have.”