SHORTY STARS MARRIAGE DRAMA

After six months of wedded bliss, these acting talents are mixing business with pleasure

- Elisabeth Easther

They tied the knot in a joyous ceremony, surrounded by family and friends, and now Kiwi acting super-couple Acushla-Tara Kupe and Paul Waggott are celebrating their six-month anniversary by making a bold move.

"We were married on 15 October and exactly six months later, on 15 April, we settled on our very first home," grins The Gone actress Acushla-Tara, 33, clearly still blown away by their good fortune. "It's one of those incredible things you think will never happen, especially when you live a freelance life, but it's happened."

Shortland Street star Paul, 35, continues, "We have to keep reminding ourselves that we've spent our entire adult lives paying rent, so paying a mortgage should be no different. We're also very pragmatic and will do whatever work comes our way as we've both had loads of other jobs over the years, including working in hospitality."

"We're quite frugal too, so we'll always find ways to make ends meet," adds Acushla-Tara, who is of Ngāti Maniapoto descent.

However, it's unlikely the newlyweds will need to look for café work any time soon because their careers are going from strength to strength. Since they got hitched, Acushla-Tara has been filming a second season of The Gone, in which she plays the lead role of detective Diana Huia, in Te Aroha, while British-born Paul has joined the Shorty cast full-time as bumbling pharmacist Thaddeus Fleiss and his podcast Sherlock & Co has been nominated for a prestigious award back in the UK.

Having joined New Zealand's favourite soap as a guest star last July, Paul is having a bundle of fun out in Ferndale.