Keisha Castle-Hughes, of Tainui, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Porou descent, will play Obara Sand, one of the three "Sand Snakes", the daughters of Prince Oberyn in Season Five of the hit US drama series, Game of Thrones.
While it was announced last year that Castle-Hughes would join the GOT cast, the show launched its global premiere last week under a huge tent at the Tower of London.
Photos and previews of their newest characters, including the Sand Snakes - Obara, Tyene and Nymeria, have since been released.
Castle-Hughes is well known for her debut in the NZ movie, Whale Rider, where she played the main role of Paikea Apirana, at the tender age of 13.
During the film, young "Pai" wielded a taiaha (spear) and secretly trained without her grandfather knowing as weaponry training was reserved for the boys of her iwi.
Now as Obara Sand, Castle-Hughes is wielding another spear playing the oldest and most formidable warrior of the three sisters.
At 24, she has held roles in numerous successful movies and TV series like The Walking Dead, The Almighty Johnsons, The Nativity Story and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.
Season Five of Game of Thrones will air in New Zealand on April 13 on Sky's SOHO channel. Tomorrow, Keisha Castle-Hughes celebrates her 25th birthday.