Sam Aleni
Encyclopedia
Sam Aleni was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera
Shortland Street
. He was portrayed by Rene Naufahu
and was part of the original cast.
. Though in his 20's, Sam is still a virgin as he wants to wait till marriage. Sam starts to date a women named Leanne but Steve does not trust her and catches her stealing the VHS machine to sell. She runs off leaving Sam alone. Sam gets on well with older man and co worker Tom Neilson
who also works as a paramedic.
In 1993, Sam comes back into contact with Leanne who seems to have changed from her past self and the two start a serious relationship. Sam accidentally has sex with Leanne, losing his virginity and breaking his Christian faith. He insists the two get married, but Leanne breaks up with him after becoming annoyed at his possessiveness. Sam's brother Nat (Joe Naufahu) eventually comes onto the scene, and it is eventually revealed that Nat is involved in a Samoan Streetgang involved in a blood feud with a Tongan Streetgang. Sam also becomes friends with Talita Palele, or TP, as she prefers to be known. TP reveals to Sam that her brother is a member of the Tongan Gang after he is brought into Shortland Street with life-threatening injuries. Nat's life is threatened and Sam tries to protect his brother, but Nat's friend Willy Sia'atu is beaten to death in revenge for the assault on TP's brother. Sam eventually talks Nat out of the gang life TP and Sam grow closer in the aftermath. It turns out, however, that TP is engaged to be married in a forced arrangement. However, after Sam's friend and fellow paramedic Jamie Forrest
talks to TP, TP decides to turn her back on her family tradition and winds up alienating her family. Due to this, Sam also winds up alienating his family except for Nat. Sam and TP marry.
's leaving party. Steve, TP, Chris and Kirsty were all involved in a car accident, and just as Sam arrived behind the four after witnessing the accident, the car exploded with Steve and TP inside. Suffering from shock, Sam and Carmen went back to the flat, where Sam sat in his living room. His phone went off and ticked over to his answering machine, a message recorded featuring Steve and TP, which caused Sam to break down in tears, devastated at the loss of his wife and best friend. Eventually, the Paleles would attempt to get their daughter's body back, but Sam refused to give in, citing how the Paleles tried to keep Sam and TP apart, and how they washed their hands of her when her and Sam got married. Nat, however, would unite the Paleles and the Alenis, and Sam would forgive both his family, and TP's, and the funeral went on without a hitch. Sam would also forgive Chris, while Chris was beating himself up about causing the crash. Sam continued to grieve over the weeks and months, including a few run-ins with a drunk-driver, even contemplating quitting the ambulance service. While the McKennas were away on holiday, Sam took over the day-to-day running of Kennedy's and once Alex came back, Sam was placed in charge of Insomnia, Kennedy's new night act.
Sam would fall in love with the lead singer of one of his acts named Lia. She wasn't interested however, and Sam felt uncomfortable, having not lost TP all that long beforehand.The two managed to start a working relationship, however, and Sam managed to get Lia signed to a recording contract with Andy Tremaine, a record producer. Sam would leave for Samoa at the end of the year.
Sam returned in 1995 a new man. He is a polar opposite to his old self, now being cruel and bitter. It was revealed he had worked as a male escort while away. He starts sleeping with Ana Fa'asolo.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. He was portrayed by Rene Naufahu
Rene Naufahu
Rene Naufahu is a New Zealand-born actor, screen writer and director of Tongan and Samoan heritage. He is perhaps best known for being an original cast member of the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, playing paramedic Sam Aleni for the show's first four years...
and was part of the original cast.
1992-1993
Sam is introduced as the devout Christian paramedic flat mate to the party boy, joker Steve MillsSteve Mills (Character)
Steve Mills was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Andrew Binns and was part of the original core cast....
. Though in his 20's, Sam is still a virgin as he wants to wait till marriage. Sam starts to date a women named Leanne but Steve does not trust her and catches her stealing the VHS machine to sell. She runs off leaving Sam alone. Sam gets on well with older man and co worker Tom Neilson
Tom Neilson
Tom Leslie Neilson is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. Part of the original cast, Tom was portrayed by Adrian Keeling from the shows first episode up until May the following year when the character starred in a high profile storyline where Tom went missing...
who also works as a paramedic.
In 1993, Sam comes back into contact with Leanne who seems to have changed from her past self and the two start a serious relationship. Sam accidentally has sex with Leanne, losing his virginity and breaking his Christian faith. He insists the two get married, but Leanne breaks up with him after becoming annoyed at his possessiveness. Sam's brother Nat (Joe Naufahu) eventually comes onto the scene, and it is eventually revealed that Nat is involved in a Samoan Streetgang involved in a blood feud with a Tongan Streetgang. Sam also becomes friends with Talita Palele, or TP, as she prefers to be known. TP reveals to Sam that her brother is a member of the Tongan Gang after he is brought into Shortland Street with life-threatening injuries. Nat's life is threatened and Sam tries to protect his brother, but Nat's friend Willy Sia'atu is beaten to death in revenge for the assault on TP's brother. Sam eventually talks Nat out of the gang life TP and Sam grow closer in the aftermath. It turns out, however, that TP is engaged to be married in a forced arrangement. However, after Sam's friend and fellow paramedic Jamie Forrest
Jamie Forrest
Jamie Forrest was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. The character was portrayed by Karl Urban for a guest stint in mid 1993 before returning later in the year for a 6 month recurring stint...
talks to TP, TP decides to turn her back on her family tradition and winds up alienating her family. Due to this, Sam also winds up alienating his family except for Nat. Sam and TP marry.
1994-1995
Sam and TP enjoyed married life until they attended GinaGina Rossi
Gina Rossi-Dodds was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Josephine Davison and was part of the original cast.-1992-1995:...
's leaving party. Steve, TP, Chris and Kirsty were all involved in a car accident, and just as Sam arrived behind the four after witnessing the accident, the car exploded with Steve and TP inside. Suffering from shock, Sam and Carmen went back to the flat, where Sam sat in his living room. His phone went off and ticked over to his answering machine, a message recorded featuring Steve and TP, which caused Sam to break down in tears, devastated at the loss of his wife and best friend. Eventually, the Paleles would attempt to get their daughter's body back, but Sam refused to give in, citing how the Paleles tried to keep Sam and TP apart, and how they washed their hands of her when her and Sam got married. Nat, however, would unite the Paleles and the Alenis, and Sam would forgive both his family, and TP's, and the funeral went on without a hitch. Sam would also forgive Chris, while Chris was beating himself up about causing the crash. Sam continued to grieve over the weeks and months, including a few run-ins with a drunk-driver, even contemplating quitting the ambulance service. While the McKennas were away on holiday, Sam took over the day-to-day running of Kennedy's and once Alex came back, Sam was placed in charge of Insomnia, Kennedy's new night act.
Sam would fall in love with the lead singer of one of his acts named Lia. She wasn't interested however, and Sam felt uncomfortable, having not lost TP all that long beforehand.The two managed to start a working relationship, however, and Sam managed to get Lia signed to a recording contract with Andy Tremaine, a record producer. Sam would leave for Samoa at the end of the year.
Sam returned in 1995 a new man. He is a polar opposite to his old self, now being cruel and bitter. It was revealed he had worked as a male escort while away. He starts sleeping with Ana Fa'asolo.