Beloved NZ star of Xenaverse dies on birthday
She is treasured for her roles in the television universe that encompasses Xena: Warrior Princess, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
She was also a popular presenter on NZ television, and worked on movies including the 1985 adventure comedy, Came a Hot Friday.
'Marise passed peacefully today on her 61st birthday surrounded by family and friends,' a statement shared on her Facebook page said.
It said Wipani 'just wanted to say' her final goodbye with a nod to Driving Miss Daisy.
'I have shuffled off this mortal coil. Goodbye, good luck, good God!' she said.
Tributes began to flow online for the 'eternal Queen Kanae from Xena: Warrior Princess.'
'A fierce performer, a presence of wisdom and spirit. Her voice echoes in the woods. Her legacy lives in every warrior,' one fan said on X.
New Zealand-Australian actor and singer Jay Laga'aia, who worked with Wipani on the 1991 drama series Soldier Soldier, was shocked to hear of Wipani's passing.
'I saw this and quickly checked that it wasn't some kind of sick joke. Sister, I am devastated to hear this news,' he wrote underneath the statement shared on her Facebook.
'You are so young and I will miss you. We have worked together over the years and I was always so pleased to have you on set. Travel well, my sister, love you always.'
Another man, who described Wipani as 'the one that got away', also paid tribute to the star.
'You are one of the strongest people I've known, and you did things your way. A huge loss to the world, I love you and always have.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
23 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Ozzy Osbourne's ‘secret' kids pay tribute to rocker following death
Ozzy Osbourne's older children from his marriage to Thelma Riley have paid tribute to the rocker, following his death at 76 this week. Osbourne, who detailed his family life with Sharon Osbourne in the hit reality show The Osbournes in the early 2000s, has two children, Louis and Jessica, with Riley. Osbourne was married to Riley from 1971 to 1982. Louis, 50, changed his Facebook profile picture to a black square. Meanwhile, Jessica reposted a tribute from Mario Lopez, simply writing 'RIP Ozzy'. Jessica was not included in the statement from the family. Osbourne's family released a statement about his death on Tuesday, US local time. 'It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,' the statement read. 'He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time,' they added before signing off as Sharon, Aimeee, Kelly, Jack and Louis. Previously, Jessica wrote she had a chaotic childhood, with Ozzy gone a lot. 'My recollection from my childhood with dad is that he'd be away for very long periods of time, and there'd always be a period of adjustment when he came home, and then it'd get to normality and then he'd go again,' she said in the 2011 release of God Bless Ozzy Osbourne. Osbourne was suffering from Parkinson's disease and a spinal injury at the time of his death. The rocker performed his final show this month with Black Sabbath at the Villa Park Stadium in Birmingham, England.
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Ozzy Osbourne remembered by stars from Elton John to Jason Momoa in touching posts
In life, Ozzy Osbourne was dubbed 'The Prince of Darkness'. And as word of his death Tuesday spread, rock's royalty bade farewell to the irrepressible Black Sabbath singer. 'He was a dear friend and a huge trailblazer who secured his place in the pantheon of rock gods — a true legend,' Elton John posted on Instagram. 'He was also one of the funniest people I've ever met.' Another British singer with a distinctive voice and offbeat sense of humor, Rod Stewart, also weighed in with condolences. 'Bye, bye Ozzy,' Stewart posted on Instagram. 'I'll see you up there — later rather than sooner.' Osbourne was an avid Beatles fan and credited the Fab Four with inspiring his musical career. The official X page of the late Beatles great John Lennon sent a bit of love Osbourne's way by simply posting 'OZZY,' accompanied by a black heart. 'Farewell to the Prince of Darkness,' the official X page of the late guitar god Jimi Hendrix posted. Heavy metal singers Osbourne inspired, like David Coverdale, formerly of Deep Purple and Whitesnake, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, Dee Snider of Twister Sister and David Draiman of Disturbed, who referred to Ozzy as 'my dear teacher', also paid their respects online. Loading Instagram Post So did other masters of heavy metal, like Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss, as well as groundbreaking rappers like Ice-T and Flavor Flav. 'Man, real heart broken over the passing of OZZY OSBOURNE,' Flavor Flav posted. Pop star T-Pain, champion of auto-tune vocal processing who covered Black Sabbath's War Pigs in 2023, expressed sorrow on X, where he used a devil's horns hand emoji as a tribute. 'Heartbroken by the news,' the artist said. 'I was blessed to be able to cover War Pigs and get your recognition. Ozzy Forever 🤘🏿' Actor Danny Trejo described Osbourne as a man of 'pure light' despite his trademark reputation for darkness. He said the icon had a heart bigger than any stage he graced. 'Save me a seat backstage up there, carnál,' Trejo said on Facebook. Actor Jason Momoa, who emceed Osbourne's last performance earlier this month, posted expressions of 'aloha' and 'ohana,' Hawaiian for 'family,' for Sharon Osbourne. There were also bipartisan expressions of grief from prominent U.S. politicians. 'Ozzy Osbourne was a man of multitudes: larger-than-life, yet honestly human,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, posted. Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., posted photos of herself and her family on X with Osbourne. 'Ozzy was a true pioneer of heavy metal and an enduring symbol of the rebellious, freedom-loving spirit that resonates across our nation and throughout the world,' Spartz wrote. 'He will be missed.' Osbourne gained a whole new generation of fans when he and his madcap family became the subject of a reality TV show called, appropriately enough, 'The Osbournes.' It ran on MTV from 2002 through 2005, and that, coupled with his heavy metal showmanship, earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fittingly for a rock icon who came from the bleakest corner of Birmingham, England, it was placed on Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum. And as word of Osbourne's death spread, flowers were placed on the star and fans stopped to express their condolences. 'Ozzy Osbourne was more than a rock legend—he was a cultural icon who reshaped music and defied expectations,' Ana Martinez, who is the producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said in a statement. 'His star on the Walk of Fame will now shine even brighter as fans from around the world come to honor his incredible legacy. He will be deeply missed.'
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- SBS Australia
Sharing War Bride Tess's Story and Expanding Cross-Generational Exchange
LISTEN TO SBS Japanese 22/07/2025 12:56 Japanese Listen to SBS Japanese Audio on Tue, Thu and Fri from 1pm on SBS 3. Replays from 10pm on Tue, Thu and Sat on SBS1. Listen to past stories from our podcast. Download the free SBS Audio App and don't forget to visit SBS Japanese Facebook and Instagram page!
