Rachel House makes a supporting character sound like the only adult present. We value her dry humour and firm authority, though the larger films employing her have not always given us much else to recommend.
Fi1m perspective
Rachel House sounds as though she has heard the excuse before. As Ruth in Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins (2023), she makes being unimpressed funny without becoming contemptuous. We laughed at Ruth’s weary certainty because she has heard it all before and sees no reason to disguise that. House belongs to the supporting company that gives the film its warmth, while Michael Fassbender’s coach gets too much of its attention. We wanted more time with those people.
Her first feature was Whale Rider (2002), in which she played Shilo. The recurring collaboration with Waititi then made good use of her no-nonsense humour, notably as persistent welfare officer Paula Hall in Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016). Her authority is useful to a comedy: she can sound certain of herself without requiring us to agree with her. Voicing Gramma Tala in Moana (2016) brought international recognition and established another line of work in family animation.
Moana 2 (2024) returns her to Tala, but the film is handsome and thin, with songs that disappear almost as soon as they finish. We would not recommend it merely for a familiar voice. Nor does her casting as Hampton make Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) a useful introduction to her work. That film is more enjoyable when the humans stop explaining the plot and leave the apes alone.
The Minecraft film (2025) gives her Malgosha, the voice presiding over the Nether. Grant Major’s production design and Enrique Chediak’s bright, even lighting make this a tiring place to spend time, all hot pink and orange. Jared Hess gets some peculiar humour into the film, but there is too much shouting for us to recommend the visit. A capable supporting actor cannot compensate for everything happening around her.
Her feature directing debut, The Mountain (2024), gives us another part of her work to follow. It also makes us curious about what she might do with more space in front of the camera, after so many supporting assignments. We would welcome a film that gave her more of the conversation.
Biography
Rachel House is a New Zealand actress and director. Born in Auckland on 20 October 1971, she trained at Toi Whakaari, graduating in 1992. She began her career in stage work with the Pacific Underground Theatre and the Auckland Theatre Company.
House is known for roles in films directed by Taika Waititi, including Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). Her voice credits include Gramma Tala in Moana (2016) and Moana 2 (2024), Terry in Soul (2020), and Malgosha in A Minecraft Movie (2025). Live-action roles include Hampton in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) and Ruth in Next Goal Wins (2023). She has also directed films.
House received the New Zealand Order of Merit and other honours including an Arts Laureate award for her work as an actor and director.
