Soldier Soldier actress dies elderly 61 as heartbroken co-stars pay tribute

Soldier Soldier superstar Marise Wipani has died on the age of 61 on her birthday.

The actress performed Ellie in sequence 3 of the British ITV sequence, and likewise gave the impression in TV displays Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules and Shortland Street.

She passed on to the great beyond on Friday, her 61st birthday, together with her loss of life being showed with a submit on her Facebook web page. A reason for loss of life used to be no longer printed.

It learn: ‘Marise handed peacefully nowadays on her 61st birthday surrounded through friends and family.

‘She simply sought after to mention….I’ve shuffled off this mortal coil. Good byyye, just right luuuck, just right God!!! Quote from Driving Miss Daisy.’

Marise’ Soldier Soldier co-star Jay Laga’aia used to be one of the vital first to pay tribute, writing a heartfelt message to her that learn: ‘I noticed this and temporarily checked that it wasn’t some roughly in poor health funny story. 

The actress performed Ellie in sequence 3 of the British ITV sequence, and likewise gave the impression in TV displays Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules and Shortland Street (pictured in 1995’s Hercules: The Legendary Journeys)

‘Sister I’m devastated to listen to this information. You are so younger and I can leave out you. We have labored in combination through the years and I used to be all the time so happy to have you ever on set. Travel smartly my sister, love you all the time’.

While, Ian Mune, who directed the actress in Came a Hot Friday, additionally penned a touching tribute, writing: ‘‘Marise, this breaks my heart. We met on your first film role in Came a Hot Friday.

‘Your presence and performance added a whole layer to that movie arising from your truth and honesty. It was what always struck me whenever we met. Fly high, Princess.’ 

Dean Adams shared several tributes, writing: ‘You are one of the strongest people I’ve recognized and you probably did issues your approach. An enormous loss to the arena, I really like you and all the time have. 

‘You mentioned I used to be the person who were given away smartly the similar used to be for me. Thank you for the days through the years and particularly since remaining yr. Rest in peace my candy. Love you without end.’

Several of Marise’s buddies additionally took to the feedback to voice their heartbreak and reminisce on reminiscences they would shared together with her.

They wrote: ‘I’m simply improper through this. Marise used to be probably the most terrific individual to be round and an excellent good friend to me within the early 90’s. Like such a lot of other folks, even though buddies on FB we’d misplaced contact lately. She used to be the most endearing of other folks and my center is going out to her family and friends.’

‘Awwwe, Marise, how may just you?! So brilliant, so truthful, so beautiful, too younger. One of our truest actors & a just right good friend… will leave out you, Ms Wipani’. 

‘Rest simple beautiful. Thank you for some nice instances within the 80’s. So many laughs. Xx’; ‘Oh so sorry to listen to this. Marise used to be any such a skill to paintings with and a wonderful individual.’

In 1987, the superstar then turned into one of the vital first presenters of the reside televised draw for Lotto New Zealand with Doug Harvey, incomes her the affectionate nickname of the Lotto Lady (noticed)

‘So unhappy. Remembering our friendship first as 3rd formers at Avondale College after which later our paths crossed once more while you lived at the island. Rest in Peace e hoa ❤️’.

‘Deciding to go away for your birthday is SO you, Marise! Such unhappy information to obtain nowadays. Your humour, kindness, friendship and immense skill won’t ever be forgotten. Fly excessive. See you at the different facet. xx’

‘Oh, you gorgeous factor I’m so sorry we by no means attached again in February while you reached out for a catchup. Been serious about you lots in recent years. Love you such a lot and can see you once more some day.’

‘Feeling truly unhappy. I went to school with Marise and he or she used to be all the time so heat and certain. We have been all so pleased with her when she were given her giant spoil on Telly.’

Marise used to be one in every of 5 siblings and grew up in Ponsonby, ahead of transferring to Christchurch at 18.

She moved after being noticed through a manufacturer for the Miss New Zealand competition, who inspired her to take part within the 1983 pageant.

She in the end positioned runner-up to her buddy Lorraine Downes, who ultimately went directly to be crowed the 1983 Miss Universe.

Marise later admitted she used to be satisfied to not have received the competition, confessing she’d simplest entered for the loose commute and cash.

When requested if she used to be disenchanted to have come runner-up, she informed New Zealand Herald: ‘Nah, it might were my worst nightmare. 

‘I dodged a bullet … Seriously, it is simply no longer my cup of tea. I had no sense of competing and as for profitable, it by no means truly took place to me.’

This used to be adopted through her first performing roles, after she used to be solid to play quite a lot of characters at the Billy T. James Show after which received the a part of Esmerelda in Came a Hot Friday in 1985.

In 1987, the superstar then turned into one of the vital first presenters of the reside televised draw for Lotto New Zealand with Doug Harvey, incomes her the affectionate nickname of the Lotto Lady.

Marise left in 1991 to pursue her performing profession, having roles on Australian crime movie Grievous Bodily Harm ahead of touchdown the phase in Soldier, Soldier in 1993 for the New Zealand-set 3rd sequence.

Film roles adopted with an element in Hercules within the Maze of the Minotaur and the sequence Hercules: The Legendary Journeys within the mid-90s in addition to Bonjour Timothy (1995) and Channelling Baby (1999).

Her different notable position got here as Kanae in 2001’s Xena: Warrior Princess, whilst her remaining giant initiatives have been enjoying Sharon Short in Rude Awakenings and Rebecca Scott in New Zealand cleaning soap opera Shortland Street in 2008.

In her later years, she stepped again from high-profile initiatives and gave the impression in numerous smaller-scale productions, most commonly enjoying minor roles in Australasian movies.

While Marise additionally moved into hospitality, revealing within the 2010s that she used to be running an atypical process in a café within the 2010s and ‘living modestly’.

In an interview in 2011, she joked: ‘I wish I was rich and I wish I’d listened when other folks informed me to avoid wasting my cash.

‘But I was like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” and then didn’t do the rest … it’s been amusing.’