Kiwi film star James Rolleston has scored a new role - as a guest star on Shortland Street.
The Boy actor, who recently starred alongside actresses Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek in The Breaker Upperers, will feature as a major character shaking things up in Ferndale, the NZ Herald's Spy reports.
Rolleston says he is excited for the new challenge on the small screen and his role as part of an iconic Kiwi television series.
"Shortland Street has been around longer than I have," Rolleston said.
"There have been some huge Kiwi names on the show, so it's awesome to have a chance to have this experience."
The part is the actor's first television role, which he says is "hugely different from the film industry".
"It's so fast — there is not a lot of time for each scene like in the movies.
"You just get into the swing of the scene and you are on to the next, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for me to grow as an actor and learn some different techniques."
The 21-year-old will star as Kawe, a young man with a troubled upbringing who attempts to turn his life around after a stint in prison for his part in a burglary.
"Kawe is a good kid at heart — someone people can relate to, a bad boy trying to be good. He made mistakes and is trying to turn his life around. And he makes a mean coffee apparently."
Rolleston's return to acting comes nearly two years after he and a friend were seriously injured in a car accident which left the actor with serious leg and brain injuries.
He was sentenced to 200 hours community work, 12 months supervision and was disqualified from driving for one year for his role in the incident.
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