From portable toilet and refuse skip distributor to Hollywood actor — that is Siale Tunoka’s vision.
The WasteCo Dunedin account manager and actor recently played a major part as Everett, the castle guard, in Netflix’s romance The Royal Treatment.
Within a week of its release, the film became Netflix’s most watched film around the globe, and he is hoping his acting has attracted the attention of some Hollywood directors and casting agents.
"I’d like to say I’ve had Hollywood knocking on my door, asking me to be the next Jason Momoa, but that hasn’t happened yet.
"Maybe they lost my number or something."
It is not Mr Tunoka’s first appearance in a film.
He played a customs agent in Adrift, filmed in Fiji in 2017.
But The Royal Treatment was his biggest part so far.
"I definitely hope that things come out of this. My agent seems to think that this is a great start."
He said he was loving the sideways glances he was getting from people on the street who had recognised him from the film.
"It feels like I’m getting the Hollywood treatment."
Mr Tunoka said he travelled to construction sites as part of his job and was amazed at the number of construction workers who recognised him.
"You don’t expect them to be watching a romcom.
"Everybody’s watching it — even the people you least expect."
Despite the "Hollywood treatment", he said living in Dunedin kept him humble.
"It keeps your feet on the ground because you’ve still got to get up in the morning and keep going to work every day."
Former Dunedin mayor Peter Chin also appeared in the film as Mr Cho.
He joked he only appeared on the film to boost his public exposure so he could take another run at being Dunedin’s mayor.
"The top billing of The Royal Treatment might get me one or two votes," he said, adding: "I can assure you, I’m not remotely interested in the job".
