New Zealand actor Robbie Magasiva has spoken about the death of his younger brother, actor Pua Magasiva, who died in 2019.
Pua Magasiva was 38 when he died by suicide in a Wellington hotel room in 2019.
The Samoan-born actor was widely known to Kiwi audiences for his roles in Power Rangers and Shortland Street. He was also a co-host on hip-hop radio station Flava's breakfast show.
Speaking to podcast host Dom Harvey, Robbie Magasiva described the moment he learned his younger brother had died, after receiving a phone call from their other brother Tanu in the early hours of May 11, 2019.
"Tanu was on the phone, and he said ‘Pua’s just passed,’" Magasiva recalled. "It didn’t really hit me until later on."
The actor said he initially struggled to process the news.
"I hung up, I tried to call my brother to let him know. I drove to his place and told him, hung out there for a little bit and went home," he said.
"That’s when it really hit. I was in my room with uncontrollable emotion. I was on the floor pouring my eyes out, just really angry at what had happened," he told Harvey.
Magasiva said he had been close with Pua, affectionately known in the family as "Poos", and described how his younger brother had followed in his footsteps creatively.
“Poos had different relationships with all his bros,” he said.
“But when I took up writing, he took up writing. I took up acting, then he took up acting. He kind of followed my path, and he was always proud to say that.”
Shockwaves
Pua’s death sent shockwaves through New Zealand’s entertainment industry, where he had built a strong following over more than two decades on screen.
Magasiva said his brother’s death had come as a complete shock.
"I had no idea. No idea at all," he said. "I knew he had demons, but I didn’t know how dark it was."
Pua began acting as a teenager, landing his first major television role at just 16 when he was cast as the Red Ranger in Power Rangers Ninja Storm.
He later rose to national prominence playing Vinnie Kruse on Shortland Street, appearing on the show for seven years across two separate stints.
Robbie, meanwhile, has had a long career across New Zealand and Australian television, widely recognised for his role as prison officer Will Jackson on the Australian drama Wentworth.
The 53-year-old has also appeared in Shortland Street and films including The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Sione's Wedding, and is a member of the Naked Samoans comedy group.
Reflecting on his brother’s abilities, Robbie described his younger brother as a "phenomenal performer and talent".
"I think he was a little bit better than me. He had all the tools. He could sing, dance, act - he was just a real performer."
Magasiva said speaking openly about his brother’s death and remembering positive memories they shared together had been an important part of his own healing.
"I’ve always spoken about him. I’ve always been open with his passing," he said.
"That was part of my healing — being open. I never suppressed anything, and that really helped me."
in 2023 a coroner said Pua died a month after being sentenced for assaulting his wife. He had been using alcohol as a coping mechanism for anger before he died, according to a Stuff article, and had also been struggling with his mental health.
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