This story was originally published on The Spinoff.
If you too feel as if your sense of national pride is sinking into oblivion like a pavlova left outside in the forthcoming hottest summer on record, I can recommend escaping into pop culture for some much-needed patriotism. Head to the cinemas where half the cast of Moana 2, currently the number one movie in the world, are New Zealanders. Pop on Netflix and see Thomasin McKenzie in Joy. Julian Dennison is apparently the best part of A24’s big new comedy Y2K, and Nell Fisher is about to blow up in Stranger Things S5.
We are punching well above our weight in Hollywood for a tiny Briscoes piss country, but closer analysis reveals another interesting trend in this crop of exports: many had star turns long before their 18th birthday. Julian Dennison was just 14 when he played wise-cracking Ricky Baker in The Hunt For The Wilderpeople, soon catapulted into the Deadpool multiverse at 16. Thomasin McKenzie was 15 when she made us all cry as Pixie on Shortland Street, and 17 in her award-winning role in Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace.
