Shorty star Miriama 'I HAVE TO REMEMBER I'M NOT 20 ANYMORE'

As she makes her Ferndale comeback, the actress says her life has changed dramatically

When Miriama Smith first joined the cast of Shortland Street almost 25 years ago, the world was a very different place. She’d just turned 20, fame was a whole new ball game and the iconic Kiwi soap was still in its infancy.

“We didn’t even have smartphones back then!” laughs the seasoned TV star, who has recently returned for another stint on the long-running TVNZ 2 show, this time playing police detective Ngaire Hetariki.

But if Miriama thought Shorty would feel unfamiliar after so long away, she was mistaken. The first thing she heard when she arrived for her first day back was the laughter of the show’s legendary makeup artist Bronwyn Lewis, who’s been there since Miriama played nurse Awhina Broughton back in the late ’90s.

Longtime Shorty star Michael Galvin, who’s played Dr Chris Warner since 1992, was another familiar face, adds Miriama.

“It was quite a weird experience because while so much had changed, it also felt very nostalgic and comforting, which was beautiful. It’s such a unique show and an incredibly well-oiled machine, so it’s fun being part of it again. It felt like a great big reunion.”

The 45-year-old hadn’t been planning a return to the soap, but when she received a call late last year asking if she’d like to audition for the part, she didn’t think twice.