Tonight on 20/20 ` a Shortland Street special. We take you behind the scenes,... Wrap on Emma. Wrap on Emma. (CHEERS) You've got to be ready. ...behind the drama... You are what's wrong with me, and I've had enough! ...and behind the characters. Some days you have, like, 15 scenes in a row. Then in the middle of my audition, Martin Henderson walks in. I decided I` I wanted to leave, cos I thought, 'Man, I think I'm good enough to be in Hollywood.' ...as NZ's favourite show turns 20. You're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata. www.tvnz.co.nz/access-services Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2012 Kia ora. I'm Sonia Wilson, and welcome to our Shortland Street special. Well, it's been 20 years; 4997 episodes; around 300 core cast and almost 5000 guest cast, including ` as you're about to see ` our very own reporter, Emma Keeling. Now, that's a lot of auditions over the years, but, apparently, when the casting director met Lee Donoghue, she knew he was the perfect Hunter McKay. After six years on the soap, he's headed off to try his acting luck in America. But before he left, in a TV first, he took 20/20 behind the scenes for his last days as Hunter McKay. My audition... My audition... (GUFFAWS) My audition... My audition... Um... It was many moons ago now. It was many moons ago now. My audition, to be quite honest, was amazing. Well, it was 20 years ago. I didn't take my clothes off, but it was just the thought that at some point I'd have to. I actually auditioned for Stuart Neilson, which was Martin Henderson's part. The first thing about auditions are, they are a terrible beast. I remember getting a lot of direction, uh, and thinking, 'Oh, that was awful.' And then I got it. I was, like, 'Oh, yes!' I started doing press-ups, and the casting crew were, like, 'Are you ready? Are you ready?' She said, 'Can we just do the whole thing in a French accent?' And I was, like,... (SQUAWKS) But I got it. (LAUGHS) Then right in the middle of my audition, Martin Henderson walks in and goes, 'Hi.' I remember for my audition I was hungover. And it was a real advantage, cos I was really relaxed. I turned it down because they weren't paying me enough money. I was lucky. I only auditioned once. From that one audition, they cast me, which was good. Where's Hunt`? > Very rustic. Lee Donoghue joined Shortland Street six years ago to play Hunter McKay. The sniffer dogs smelled Sophie and went into a frenzy. 'The first day ` I remember that I was very very nervous,' because as an actor in NZ you knock Shortland Street. Why? First of all, I think if anyone thinks they can do better, please, be my guest. Some days you have, like, 15 scenes in a row. And some of them are quite emotional scenes, for example, so y-you can't go to the depth you would in a film. Lee became the show's ultimate angry young man,... You are what's wrong with me, and I've had enough!! ...starring in last season's cliff-hanger episode. No, stay! Hunter, don't. He's my` (GASPS) With a scene shot every 20 minutes, there's little time for perfection. The make-up they use for me is put on with propanol, which is like an alcohol. And the firs two takes, there was technical problems, and then the last time I'd been crying so much, and I looked up, and I was, like, 'Please. No.' Please. No! The alcohol was just burning my eyes so much that I-I couldn't really do it to my best ability, but that was the one they had to buy, so that's the compromising that you do on Shortland Street. He's leaving the soap. He's off to Hollywood. Exits. Stage 6, even. And he's ready for the sex scenes. That's the only reason I'm doing this. I thought we were getting nude today. I'm ready to take my jacket off. She's going forever? Seriously, though. Shorty sister Kimberley Crossman left for LA early last year. There's an old saying ` if you can do Shortland Street, you can do anything. And I think that's partly true, because if you can cope with that amount of work, and, you know, and that amount of exposure, I think you're on to a winner. Hi. Are you Emma? Hi. Are you Emma? I am. I'm Andrea. I'm Andrea. Lovely to meet you. I've been invited to be a guest character. I drew the short straw in the office. Casting director Andrea takes me through my lines just in case I'm rubbish. So, I'm Heather Ross, and I am a reporter. You are, yeah. You are, yeah. Type-casting ` I love it. Heather will be interviewing Shortland Street boss Callum McKay. READS: Let's look at the bigger picture. READS: Or you could answer the question. READS: Or you could answer the question. For a first reading ` fantastic. Oh, thank you. Oh, panic. Panic. This is the wardrobe. So, we've got the character you're playing. So, we've got the character you're playing. Heather Ross. Heather Ross ` tough bitch. Measurements and photos are taken so I'm all set for when the big day arrives. So, we've put together some looks for you ` some kind of reporter looks. Wardrobe clothe 22 core cast members, a principal cast, who are only for three to six months, and guest cast members like me. I think I've moved on from Mum to Nana. Great. I like it. Great. I like it. I'm feeling good about this one. This is the one. I hit make-up and hang out with real actors. Then I'm ready when Kat calls. All right, everybody ` that's a buy on 0024. Next up is Callum and Heather Ross. So I just work like a theatre manager, so I just manage everyone backstage, all the actors and extras coming. making sure everyone's in the right hair and make-up, and I run lines with everyone before. Repo. It's my first time on set. Director Katherine McCrae takes us through our lines. The ED specialist has just been assaulted by some boozed-up, drugged-out idiots. She's also acted and written for the soap. I'd auditioned for Carrie. I remember that line in the audition about, 'You're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata.' And it was a great line. And sure enough it's become history. It was the first show that created NZ actors as stars in our own backyard. This girl had followed me through the mall into K Mart, and she said, 'Hi. I'm... (SQUEALS)' you know? And almost broke down in tears, and I was, like, 'Would you like a photo?' Katherine and I are sort of related. Her real mother, Elizabeth McRae, was original cast member Marge Neilson. We never had trouble with Darryl. We never had trouble with Darryl. Yeah, well, Stuart must take after me. My real father, Adrian Keeling, played Marge's husband, Tom. So our parents were married,... (LAUGHS) but importantly, our brother is Martin Henderson. Well, that's right. I feel very close to Martin. Is it wrong that I fancy my brother? I'm not sure... Yeah, I think you should look into that. Yeah, I think you should look into that. Yeah, yeah. I think so too. I was the lost sister, Jane. I remember Mum saying that after she got cast, I think at first she had a couple of children. And then a few weeks in, they decided she was actually Catholic and they gave her a wee cross and gave her about two more children. And Jane was her long-lost daughter. It was good to meet you, Stuart. It was good to meet you, Stuart. You too. I'll see you soon, huh. Dad went away, of course, to the cult, and then he had a whole other family down there. Yes, I` That's amazing. Wow. Wow. He seemed such a decent guy, and I` Wow. He seemed such a decent guy, and I` I know. I was shocked too. Yeah, goodness knows how many siblings we have out there. (GASPS) (SIGHS) Did you press that call button? OMINOUS CHORD (GASPS) Oh God. Katherine also played a nurse who met with a pointy end. INTENSE MUSIC When they told me that I was going to be killed off by the serial killer, I said 'Give us a job as a director.' And... action! Explain how that concept fits with one of your nurses deliberately breaking a patient's fingers. A scene, a shot every 20 minutes... What's it like to direct at that kind of pace? > You've gotta be prepared, you know. It's all in the prep, really. The difficult thing is that when you're prepping a scene, it's not just how would you ideally want to shoot this scene. There's a bit of that, but also, 'How can I efficiently shoot this scene?' You've got to choose your battles. You've got to work out... You learn what you can accept and what you can't. Nice scene. That's a wrap on Emma. That's a wrap on Emma. WOMAN: Yay, Emma! > 'Hurray,' you all say, 'Leave. Leave now.' Thank you for having me. CHUCKLES: Emma, you were awesome. Coming up, we're behind the scenes as Lee finally says goodbye to cast and crew. The first time we watched the show, we watched it all together as a group. It's just not natural to see yourself from different angles. We all thought it was fantastic, cos we were drunk. And I had some friends come over, and they all clapped, (LAUGHS) and it was nice. Then we went out into the world, and their reaction was not as positive as ours. (LAUGHS) They thought it was crap. And it was actually a relief ` a relief that it was me there. I'd done a couple of things when I was younger, and I'd gone to watch them and they'd used someone else. I actually, um, thought Shortland Street started at 7.30, so I missed my first time. (LAUGHS) a Welcome back. They work long hours on Shortland Street, and so the cast and crew become very close. After six years on the show, Lee Donoghue was understandably quite emotional about leaving his mates. But he did allow 20/20 cameras to join him on his last day. There are laughs, a surprise visitor and a few surprising tears from one cast member. 1 Today Lee's saying goodbye to Shorty. His girlfriend, actress Angelic, has arrived from America. Congratulations. You've won a tour for you and a friend of the Shortland Street set. How are ya? How are ya? Good. Long time, no see. They're picking up his family. It's a Shortland Street tradition, where your partner, your family, comes and watches your last scene. And then once it's done everyone walks on and gives you a clap and says how awful you are, and away you go. How hard was it to leave such a popular show? I'm gonna be very frank here. On Shortland Street, as an artist, as an actor, you get comfortable with the money, with the fame that you've talked about. You get very comfortable with the ongoing work. But because of the compromising and the cutting of the corners, and the flak that you receive from the public, you actually lose a bit of your artist, so to speak. You lose confidence in yourself. A stint in a New York drama school last year reminded him why he loves acting. Really igniting that passion for the work in me and getting me in touch with my artist again, you know? Taking that noose off my neck, which is the money and the ongoing work and that stuff, and wanting more from my career. Which is why he and Angelic are heading to Hollywood. But there's time for a magazine shoot before they go. We met in Manhattan. I thought he was really sweet. Then he actually knew how to dance, and then I was, like, 'Oh, OK.' ALL LAUGH Did we get that? Do you wanna shoot that again? Do you know what to expect in LA? Do you know what to expect in LA? I will be having up to three auditions a day. So I need to buy a reliable car. I saw a Z28 Camaro ` this old square thing ` a 1992 on eBay, and it was an old FBI car. How cool is that? I'm just going to have coffee and doughnuts on the dash. I'm just going to have coffee and doughnuts on the dash. < Bullet holes? I'll put those little stickers from the $2 Shop on it. I'll buy some. Oh, nice. He has three scenes left to film. His mates have redecorated his dressing room with his past and future. So, are you ready? Are you ready for today? Yeah. I think as ready as I'll ever be. Um, yeah, it feels kinda weird, actually. Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't seem like it'll happen. I'm just gonna turn up as usual. He's been working on his American accent. I was told to, when you go into a casting, to speak American from... (US ACCENT) day one, otherwise, if you speak in a Kiwi accent first, like if you know they're Kiwi, like you know Anna is, you hear for it. Yeah. But it was so funny. In New York, buses went past, and there's Anna Paquin, True Blood, you know. And I was like, 'Yeah, from the Hutt.' We went to the same primary school. So that's pretty cool. While Lee gets ready, I chat to Mum and Dad in the cafe. When he said, 'I'm gonna be an actor', what did you say? When he said, 'I'm gonna be an actor', what did you say? It didn't surprise me. Since he was about 3 or 4, he'd be in one of those Superman and Batman suits, going, 'Up and away!' On a rock or something. Oh... (SCREAMS) I wanted him to do an career in engineering first, and then if wanted to pursue it then, then do it. But it was his mother that said, 'Do what you wanna do.' And, yeah, there he is now. < Thank goodness he didn't listen to you, then, Steve. < Thank goodness he didn't listen to you, then, Steve. We'll see about that. BOTH LAUGH BOTH LAUGH We'll see. It's a bit of an emotional time as Lee's two families meet. Even Kimberley Crossman's in town. Oh! Hello. ALL LAUGH The moment's come. Light changing. Callum and Hunter. Rachel steps in. And... action! Lee's final scene. Let me know how you're doing. Let me know how you're doing. I will. Thank you. Let me know how you're doing. I will. Thank you. Bye. Call me. Yep. I love you. I love you. I love you too. Outside, cast and crew have come to say goodbye. (SIGHS) ALL CHEER One of the first things you said to me, Lee, was, 'I'll do whatever it takes.' And you have. You have blossomed ` excuse me ` into someone that I am so proud to know. You are going to be an actor's actor, which is the height. You take care of yourself. Thanks, mate. ALL CLAP So many memories. Your butt being the first butt that I had seen outside my family belonging to a male as you ran past the` Which was... amazing. Um. No, sorry. I mean, whoa ` weird. Are you proud to have worked on Shortland Street? I'm extremely proud to be on that show. I love that show to pieces. And thanks for the cast, the crew, and just a big honour to everyone in this space. Um... Ah! Oh! I can do it. I can own it. Would you ever go back? Would you ever go back? I would love to go back to the show. I mean, I don't really wanna leave. You know, Shortland Street has become my family, and you work very closely with the crew. So it is going to be really sad leaving. I'm going to miss them. So that's it. That's a wrap.... on the Donny. And if you're wondering what 'on the Donny' means, Donny is, of course, short for Donoghue. Righto, next on 20/20 ` we meet the other Magasiva ` Pua, the man behind nurse Vinnie. He talks life, love and Hollywood. Funniest... The other week Pua Magasiva ran through the studio in a jockstrap. Dancing to silent music with the extras is always pretty funny. I can't pick one that sticks out like a sore thumb, apart from the jockstrap. I guess that was not really that out of the ordinary for Pua. It was like that ` like that. Tonight on 20/20 ` a Welcome back. Next up, we are addressing a very serious issue for Shorty fans. It's a long-running, unresolved conundrum ` apparently. The question of who is hotter ` Maxwell or Vinnie. In real life the two leading men are brothers ` Robbie and Pua Magasiva. And while Robbie's been in the NZ spotlight for a while now, what do we really know about the man behind nurse Vinnie Kruse? Reporter Erin Conroy finds out all his biggest secrets and the two leading ladies in his life. Pause,... Pause,... ...breathe,... Pause,... ...breathe,... ...and action. (LAUGHS) I've been given full permission... Hello, darling. ...to poke around Pua Magasiva's private life,... Jassie, you're so cute. ...who many of you may know better as Vinnie Kruse. Who was the most trouble, though? Be honest. > Who was the most trouble, though? Be honest. > Um, Pua. (LAUGHS) > I get full access to his body,... There are All Blacks here. ...his wife... Pua's actually the biggest show-off I've ever met in my life. ...and he reveals his darkest moment. I woke up in the morning, and I, um, didn't know what happened. One week to get to know the real Pua. Once you go black, you never go back. Once you go black, you never go back. (LAUGHS) Scary guard dog, aren't you? Scary guard dog, aren't you? DOG BARKS So, there's no time like the first thing on a Sunday morning to meet Pua at his home on Auckland's North Shore. Hello. Good morning. How are you doing? Yeah, good. Yeah, good. Thank you for having us. Yeah, good. Thank you for having us. It's all right. So, welcome to our home, and this is my family. Good morning, everyone. Hi, Jasmine. You've met Kourtney, and this my mum, from Samoa. You've met Kourtney, and this my mum, from Samoa. Hello. Lovely to meet you, Mrs Magasiva. Lovely to meet you, Mrs Magasiva. And this is my dog, Alfie. Come here. Come here. Alfie. Come here. Alfie. Good boy. < So fourth member of the family. Is he that close? < So fourth member of the family. Is he that close? He's considered to be my son. < Aw. Nice wheels. Nice wheels. You know, I only ride in style. First up on the schedule, a quick trip down to the dairy. We're gonna go and get the Woman's Day. They're printing Pua's wedding photos. It's due out this morning. So, the big question ` how much did you get? I'm not gonna say. I'm not gonna say. Aw, come on. I'm not gonna say. Aw, come on. No. I'm not gonna say at all. More or less than 10 grand? I can't say. I can't say. 10 grand. I reckon it's 10 grand. You reckon? You reckon? < Yeah. Could be. Could be. < (LAUGHS) Could be. < (LAUGHS) Couldn't be. All right, big moment. And he spots it. Oh! READS: 'Pua says...' READS: 'Pua says...' Let's have a look, let's have a look. I'm not gonna say anything. What do you think? I'm not gonna say anything. What do you think? I like it. No looking. No cheating. Kourtney needs to see. No looking. No cheating. Kourtney needs to see. OK, cool. Go pay. Arriving home with the magazine in hand, I've made sure Pua hasn't seen any of the pictures himself. Wow. Wow. Look. Wow. Look. ALL: Aw. Oh, you look beautiful, Kourtney. Oh, you look beautiful, Kourtney. Thank you. You a proud mum? You a proud mum? Yes, I'm very proud. Right now you must be in post-wedding bliss. I'm madly in love. I'm madly in love. Aw. Me too. BOTH: Yeah. What's your favourite thing about him? His positivity, his fun, his` his` his fun-ness. It's not even a word. His... What are you? You're just like this amazing, vibrant... being. (LAUGHS) Pua's vibrancy is in high demand on the party scene. Kourtney has had some years to get used to the attention that Pua receives, but it doesn't mean it's always easy. Do you sometimes get a little bit lost, though, in the shadow of Pua? Oh my God, I'm totally his shadow. We have so many arguments after a night out. Pua's just got girls coming up to him going, 'Can I have a photo? Can I have a photo?' I'm, like... (GROANS) Just got to deal with it. I don't like it. Because sometimes I just want my husband, or my fiance back then, just to be with me. I want to enjoy the night with him, but you can't. But for Pua, being centre of attention is all part of the package. Do you like the attention at those press things? Do you get a rush from it? Yeah, yeah, you do. And anyone would. I mean, come on, it's people who are appreciating,... I guess, what you're good at, you know. And, of course, you're on TV, so they want to ask you questions, so you just do it. I just do it naturally. It's 5.30am, and I'm meeting Pua for his gym class. Can we just, um, start off by discussing how ridiculous this is? Can we just, um, start off by discussing how ridiculous this is? Oh, it's not ridiculous. So this is normal for you? What time does your alarm normally go off? So this is normal for you? What time does your alarm normally go off? Uh, 5 o'clock. FAST-PACED ELECTRONIC MUSIC And in the spirit of getting to know Pua, I decide to join in. Well, actually, my producer forced me to. He's an All Black. I just did the training of an All Black. So, why do this? I mean, you get up at an ungodly hour. You got, like, three hours' sleep last night. Why is it so important to you? Why is it so important to you? Um, it's good for my mind. Um, if I don't train, say, two days at the most` if I don't train, I go pretty much nuts. Hey. You must be Elvis. That's me. Pua was first cast on Shortland Street back in 1999, when he had a small part playing a guy called Elvis. But you might also remember him from these ads. Nah. Do it again. Ow! His early auditions, however ` not so sharp. In the audition process, um, 'OK, so, what's your name?' 'Pua Magasiva.' 'What do you do?' 'Oh, I'm blah blah blah.' And then they go, 'OK, so, profile.' And I thought, 'OK, this must be a profile about myself.' 'Oh, well, I play rugby for under-16s, and, um` and` yeah.' And they go, 'No, no, no. Profile means turn to the side.' And I went, 'Shame.' Sharpen up. Ow! A few year later, he had the call to play Vinnie, a core cast member. And here he is ` our new nurse, Vinnie 'Cruise'. (CLEARS THROAT) That's, uh, 'Krus-e'. I got the call from the agent that they wanted me to play the part, and I went, 'Whoa,... 'do I have to audition for it,' and they go, 'No, they want to offer it to you.' So I was, like, 'Whoa, this is, um, you know, NZ's top television programme,' and, you know, then I was kind of, like, 'Wow, I'm actually gonna be out there a little bit more.' I was` I was really really excited. Back then, how did you deal with the fame? Um, at first, I` I loved the attention, um, cos I was single. I was single, I was quite young, and, you know, you got all this money that you get given to you, and I was, like, 'Wow.' I loved it. And so I lived it up ` you know, partied lots, went out all the time, wasn't very disciplined, um, in regards to work, but I was just a young guy who had money who wanted to have a good time, so that's what I did. When you look back on those times now, what do you think? I actually want to go back to that old Pua and smack him across the head and say, 'Look, you're gonna waste your life if you carry on like this.' Pua left the show believing bigger and better things awaited him, but he was wrong. Cos I decided I wanted to leave, cos I thought, 'Man, I think I'm good enough to be in Hollywood.' It was the total opposite. I had to go back` Cos I had no qualifications from school, I had to go back to, um... to working odd jobs. From coming from up there to down here and then having people go, 'Oh, you used to be on Shortland Street. What's happened to you now?' And it was hard, and, um,... really was challenging for me to deal with, and, um, started getting, like, um... like, anger problems. And what was your lowest point? Um,... I got really, um` I got really drunk at one stage, and I completely lost it. I completely lost it, um, at home, and, um, I started, like, wrecking stuff in my house and... you know, making a mess of it and swearing, and... and, um, you know, I just completely blanked out. Who was there? Kourtney. What do we do when it's hot? What do we do when it's hot? We blow on it. (BLOWS AIR) Kourtney supported Pua during these difficult times. What about a carrot? She was a rock for him, helping him get his life back on track. I don't know one person who hasn't had downtime in their life, Yum. (LAUGHS) And if there was any reason to get your act together, it would be the arrival of this little treasure called Jasmine. What was that like for you? What was that like for you? Phwoar. (SIGHS) It's one of the most happiest moments of my whole life. Everything that I do, um, will be for her. I will do anything for her. I'd give up... I'd give up everything for her. She's my everything. WHISTLE BLOWS 2PAC'S 'CALIFORNIA LOVE' Another major step for Pua was his training as a fitness instructor ` CHEERING ...his first qualification ` something to fall back on should his acting work dry up. < What's the score tonight? < What's the score tonight? About 7-2. This evening he's invited me along to see the touch rugby team he plays in. How's your injury down there? Is it all right? How's your injury down there? Is it all right? Hanging in there. And considering he's an ex-NZ rep, I'm expecting a top-notch team. I think we've lost every game so far this year. What's your win rate? What's your win rate? I think one out of about six. And how did he come to be in your team ` Pua? Um, one of our friends who used to be in the team, he's married to their daughter. Trying to impress the in-laws, eh? Trying to impress the in-laws, eh? I think so. Three cheers for awesome. The other guys. Three cheers for awesome. The other guys. ALL SHOUT THREE TIMES One for the ref. One for the ref. ALL SHOUT Me and Robbie are just trying to start The Magasivas. You know The Kardashians? < Which one of you has the fat arse? Pua looks a lot like this guy ` Robbie, who's also on Shortland Street. Have you seen the grey hairs? Have you seen the grey hairs? Yeah, bro. Have you seen the grey hairs? Yeah, bro. Wisdom. And it's no surprise to many of you that they are brothers ` same family, same job, same promotional circuit. Can I just say one thing? I was late, and I'm commando. I swear. I swear. Ladies are gonna love this one. He is the big brother, but he kinda hogs the limelight a bit too, doesn't he? When he speaks, he doesn't stop, so I kinda just hold back and just go, 'Oh, I'll let you do your thing.' Because... I'm not there to compete. I'm not there to compete against my brother. But as it happens, they are competing. They're both up for Sexiest Male in this year's TV Guide awards. Today, they're doing radio promotion. PR for Shortland Street is all part of their contract. Yeah, our contracts will always have the clause ` 'must take top off'. Let's go! Let's go! Whoo! With that whole sexy male thing,... With that whole sexy male thing,... Yep. With that whole sexy male thing,... Yep. ...do you find it weird? Yeah, it is. It's really weird. It's kinda like they're putting a statement on you, and it's like people will kinda automatically think, 'Look at this guy. Thinks he's a sexy dude.' I didn't ask for it. I didn't go, 'I want to be the sexiest guy.' They just think that's what we are. 'But I'll take it.' 'But I'll take it.' Yeah. But I'll take it on the` I'll take it on the chin. What? Are you Maxwell... ...back together? So after a one-week window into Pua's world... We'll go from the top. ...I can say I feel I've got an interesting insight into one of our leading men and also into the world of acting in NZ. So, with your fame, you'd think pimpin' car, flash house, rolling in cash. What's the reality? You know, we don't get paid enough to live, like, the lifestyle, you know. Like, look at my car. I've got a Suzuki. I've got a little Suzuki Ignis that I call Superman. It's a 1.3 litre, but it's got good K's, you know. It's cheap. It's cheap. My house is not, like, the greatest house in the universe. It's not, like, this mansion. It's my home... the way I like it. Now it's all about what's good enough for my family. So now all I wanna do is work hard so that we don't have to struggle, and Jasmine doesn't have to struggle, or our next kid, who I want to call Bruce Lee... (LAUGHS) Very very talented family, the Magasivas. Next on 20/20 ` over two decades there's hardly been a subject this show hasn't touched. We talk to the writers and the producers behind NZ's longest-running drama. I've had a few. I've had a few crazy moments. (CHUCKLES) Slippery studio floor. Boom! There was like a fire evacuation from the bar, and she got caught in a stampede. You see all the extras look at me, like, hit the deck, and they all stand there like... Cos they don't think they're allowed to touch the actors or something. 'Action.' (MAKES FARTING NOISE) 'Cut.' 'Who was it?' She tripped, and instead of helping her up, they just ran... (LAUGHS) They ran over her, basically. Yeah, that's probably the funniest moment. Tonight on 20/20 ` a Welcome back. You could say that Shortland Street's so popular because it's so unique to NZ. Every episode traverses issues that are about the loves, lives and concerns of everyday Kiwis. The actors sound like us, and the writers have never been afraid to tackle touchy subjects. Reporter Hannah Ockelford caught up with the people who decide which ideas from the writers' table end up on our screens. I stuck myself with a needle. I stuck myself with a needle. That happens all the time. What's the big deal? I just injected a patient who was HIV-positive. DRAMATIC MUSIC SIREN WAILS Shortland Street Accident and Emergency Centre? An Aids scare, a breech birth, drug-taking and an affair ` all within the first few episodes. Why don't you ever join me for a workout? Why don't you ever join me for a workout? That's exactly what I had in mind. DRAMATIC MUSIC CRESCENDOES Shortland Street quickly gained a reputation for being risque and racy ` I'm sure you're up to it. ...well, as racy as things got on a soap in the '90s. I don't think my parents would like me living with two men. I don't think my parents would like me living with two men. What men? The traditions continued. Help! For the past two decades the storylines on this Kiwi favourite have been filled with romance and scandal. Shut up! Doesn't have to know. Sensationalist might not be the right word. We're not out to shock. We're trying to tell our stories, and we're trying to, um, do it as truthfully as possible. FAST-PACED FUNKY MUSIC It's the private lives of those who work in and play near this clinic. Choice. Another brown face. You must be the new doctor. It's a soap opera. It's accessible. It's for everybody. But perhaps more importantly, this is a show that could only come from NZ. Emergency. I'd hardly call a pack of half-zonked rugby players with minor injuries an emergency. Listen, lady, if you don't hurry up and get a doctor, I'm going to bleed to death. The twang no longer makes us cringe. You're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata. We've been listening to ourselves now for a while. First and foremost, it is entertainment. But secondly, it's reflecting NZ, and I think our viewers think it's reflecting them. FUNKY MUSIC CONTINUES Okey-dokey. Steven Zanoski is the man in charge of who and what is on-screen. Shortland Street constantly refreshes. It refreshes characters; it refreshes attitudes; it refreshes sets. To me, Shortland Street has always gone for the issues and the stories. It's always gone for the jugular. If there's an issue there, we want to explore it, because that's dramatic. And we can use that, and people will want to watch. They claim they can keep our babies. 'SHORTLAND STREET' THEME Story editor Damon Andrews has spent five years writing for the show. To begin with it was like, ' God, do we really talk and look like that?' This place looks more like a warehouse than a clinic. And now you can turn it on and watch it, and we do look like that, and we're fine with it. So you'll see Mr Dishwater again? So you'll see Mr Dishwater again? Oh, hell, no. Chris Warner's been responsible for a good chunk of the soap's romance quota. But some were immune to his charms. SLAP! Certainly, it was a shock when Meredith discovered that she had lesbian tendencies and kissed Nurse Annie. You actually cut away to someone coming in at the moment that the lips touched. Meredith, can we` So you didn't actually see the kiss. Streets ahead of its competition, but indicative of its time. And then you look 10 years later, by about 2004, you've got Maia and Jay having a full-on lesbian relationship. First night in our new place... Maia and Jay arrived on-set as an established couple. They kiss in triage, at the lockers, at home. They kiss goodbye, hello. We see it. Regardless of individual politics, viewers couldn't deny the love they shared. Brides, you may seal your vows with a kiss. GENTLE MUSIC It might be true to say that once in Shortland Street's past, that it did have almost a liberal agenda in trying to shift attitudes. Now, things are a little more complex, because we have done so many issues. We do tend to play both sides of the story. So if we're doing a very liberal agenda, we'll play the conservative agenda as well. And I somehow got my hands on this character breakdown. It said something along the lines of 'every Christian's gay stereotype'. In 2007, Harry McNaughton joined the cast as Gerald Tippett. Obviously, I've got no issue with playing a gay character, but I just had no desire to play a stereotype, especially on a show with that much scope and with that much exposure. I can't stop thinking about tonight. I can't stop thinking about tonight. Oh. Um, neither can I. In a bold move, Gerald's character was rewritten as an asexual. On a social level, he was very easy. He had lots of friends, and people sort of expected him to` that social ease to, kind of, transfer into relationships. (CHUCKLES) So you just had, like, three years of people trying to push him into relationships, one after the other, and not ever really accepting that he actually really wanted to be in a relationship, but didn't want to have sex with anyone. During Gerald's identity search, Harry acted in one of the Street's more infamous scenes. Where are you going? Where are you going? It's a surprise. Sometimes it's more about what's in your mind than what's on the screen. If you don't see the monster, then you imagine the monster much worse. (LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY) It hit a nerve, and in 2008 the love scene was ruled indecent by the Broadcasting Standards Authority. Without a doubt, there were people who, as soon as you show a male couple, would have objected... uh, sadly. I'm just wondering if he was someone who pulled himself up by his bootstraps. The storylining team generate the equivalent of a feature film each week. We're story whores. They meet every Monday. And we throw around ideas. TK's maybe in on it as well. TK's maybe in on it as well. ...he has been down on himself. We are affected by the same things as everybody else in the community, and we do` we read the newspaper; we watch the news and television. Is it possible for Shortland Street to reflect what's happening in real life? Yes, it is. And look, I think it's... it's a tribute to our writers, is that they are very very media-savvy. (GROANS) Oh. They're also looking at the social issues we're facing. This time round we've done a very very long-term story on drugs and said, 'Look, P is a blight on NZ. 'And it's not just affecting lower socio-economics.' While the message is clear, Steven's cautious about how it's delivered. We don't want to do the instructional video ` of going, 'Hey, kids. Here's how you light a meth pipe.' Surprise. I hope that those discussions that are happening on our on-line forums are also happening in the living rooms in NZ. Do you always just let yourself in? Lord save us from adolescent angst. Teen suicide is one of the few topics the writers are wary of. They'll have the guilts and make a big fuss over him, which is precisely what he wants. We have a lot of teen viewers. We certainly don't want to endorse that as an option. Have you considered a storyline that features a paedophile? We talked about it. We'd worked the story out. We kind of wanted to write it. And then we found every week we went to write it and just didn't want to write it. I guess you've got to explore some dark places and things that you don't really want to as writers. And you start looking at the story and going, 'Is this something that we actually really want to do?' Attention to authenticity is critical. Gabrielle, you can't do this. Callum wants to see you first thing in the morning. You have to snap out of it. It's how characters like Gabrielle Jacobs are born, and how they grow. The fact that she's Aspergic and a neurosurgeon is a brilliant combination. Socially, I struggle, but, uh, at work people appreciate the fact that I'm direct and I'm always honest. The head of surgery is played by Virginie Le Brun. If there was anything that someone didn't feel was accurate, or it was` it wasn't correct for the character, for the syndrome, I would be more than happy to reconsider something on the character and the way that I might play it. He's worried about you. I'll just have to convince him not to be. It's really important to get that right, because you're representing, um, not just the character, but a group of people who have the syndrome themselves. As soon as we brought an Asperger's character in, everyone whose lives were` was affected by Asperger's started watching. And we started getting feedback. Positive feedback for their portrayal of the syndrome. Probably, for a lot of people, they might not have known about it before ` like myself. I hadn't even heard of Asperger's syndrome before. And now people do know about it. What approach did you take? I made an incision in the posterior fossa, exposing the cerebellum in C1. We have medical advisors. They do a lot of research, and it's their job to keep our feet on the ground. We will happily write crazy stories where any crazy medical stuff will happen. So they're the ones who keep it real, or as close to real as we are in our show. This is my kind of festival. NZers look different than they did 20 years ago. So does the practice. You can't go into a hospital in NZ without finding Indian nurses, and so Shortland Street had to have an Indian nurse on. Shanti's cross-cultural wedding to Scotty celebrated our unique identity. I realise today is all about my culture. We should have made more space for yours. I'm sorry. I didn't think. I did. Kia ora, hui hui. Tatou katoa. Kia ora. Now I give myself, all that I am... to you. Forever. Forever. APPLAUSE, CHEERING Its influence is powerful. It's like a mirror, you know. It just, sort of, feeds back stuff to you. You could say Shortland Street has become part of our identity. I think you only have to look at ratings and its relevance to say it's gonna be going for a while. All right, coming up after the break ` Dr Warner's Shorty secrets. What's it done for my career? (LAUGHS) Shortland Street is my career. (LAUGHS) It's done amazing things for my career. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Heaps. Um, taught me how to act. It just puts you on the map. People were calling me by my name instead of 'that guy on Sione's Wedding'. And they let me bring my dog, hey? You come, eh? I'll tell you what it's done for my personal life. (CHUCKLES) Nah, I'm just kidding. She poohed in the line producer's office. Bad dog. FUNKY MUSIC a Welcome back. Now, did you know, for example, that Harry Warner is the most re-cast character on Shortland Street? The current one, Reid Walker, is Harry Warner Version Four. Here with some other Shorty secrets is Dr Warner himself ` Michael Galvin. That was informative, wasn't it? But come with me. I'll show you six more things you didn't know about Shortland Street. The nurses' house. Apart from the odd lick of paint, this is the only set that's been in existence for the entire 20 years. All the other sets have been added over the years and replaced as the characters leave the show. TK Samuels is the current occupant of the house, but the original occupants were Alison Raynor, Steve Mills and Sam Aleni. Hi, Chris. Sorry, I'm running really late. I'm not even dressed yet. It's perfect for what I've got in mind. Sex, sex, sex. The IV is the seventh version of Ferndale's local bar. The other versions were Kennedy's, Lionel's Bar, the R Bar, the Buzz Bar, the Dogs Day Inn, and Coltrane's. And this is just grape juice. Shortland Street is the second largest user of paper in NZ. Second only to the government. We go through 30,000 pieces of paper every week. That would make a paper tower 3m high, which is slightly taller than this room. Timber! OLD-FASHIONED MUSIC Mmm, blood. It's made up mainly of golden syrup and food colouring. The make-up department and the art department go through 14 litres of blood every year. The crew at Shortland Street work 11 hours a day, five days a week, with only 45 minutes off for lunch. They even have to ask permission to use the bathroom. They use a code word ` 10/1. The Shortland Street lift. It goes nowhere. Someone has to stand in this closet for hours on end and pull on a rope to open and close the lift doors whenever they're ordered to. I'm afraid you can't come in here, because the walls are covered with obscene, angry graffiti, much like the walls of a prison cell. Thanks a lot, pal. You really landed me in it. Did I get any on me? < Did you? < Did you? No. Thank you, Dr Warner. If you want to see any of tonight's stories again, head to our website... You can also email us at... Or go to our Facebook page. We're at... And let us know your thoughts on tonight's show.