Will ‘Ilolahia is a charismatic leader of The Polynesian Panthers that took on racism head-on in New Zealand politics of the 1970s. The group organized itself to be politically and socially powerhouse that the government and police harassed their activities. With TVNZ’s The Panthers, actor Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi is in the position to play this historic leader on screen.

Here’s the full synopsis of The Panthers:

1974, Auckland, New Zealand: Will ‘Ilolahia, the black sheep of his Tongan family and “The Professor” of the streets, is frustrated by his community being stuck in a broken economic and criminal justice system. In the face of increasingly aggressive racial profiling from the government and police force, Will and a group of young, Polynesian street-gangsters and university students take inspiration from Huey P. Newton and The Black Panther organization in the United States and form their own revolutionary movement, The Polynesian Panthers, as a catalyst for demanding justice and equality.

The series also features newcomer Lealani Siaosi with international stars Beulah Koale (Hawaii Five-O, Thank You For Your Service), Frankie Adams (Mortal Engines, The Expanse), and veteran actor Roy Billing (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Underbelly).

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LRM Online’s Gig Patta spoke with actor Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi on his role as Will ‘Ilolahia.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi is the recipient of this year’s TIFF Rising Star Program and this is his first leading role.

The Panthers is currently streaming on TVNZ OnDemand.

Watch the exclusive interview with Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi below. Let us know what you think of it.

Source: LRM Online Exclusive, TVNZ