There are just no words...
Feb. 25th, 2009 07:20 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ourdramaqueenhow much I love these guys!!!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4858855a11.html
Mermaid dream comes true thanks to Weta
By MATT CALMAN - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Nadya Vessey lost her legs as a child but now she swims like a mermaid.
Ms Vessey's mermaid tail was created by Wellington-based film industry wizards Weta Workshop after the Auckland woman wrote to them two years ago asking if they could make her a prosthetic tail. She was astounded when they agreed.
She lost both legs below the knee from a medical condition when she was a child and told Close Up last night her long-held dream had come true. "A prosthetic is a prosthetic, and your body has to be comfortable with it and you have to mentally make it part of yourself," she said.
Ms Vessey told a little boy: "I'm a little mermaid" when he asked what happened to her legs and the idea stuck.
Weta Workshop director Richard Taylor, more used to winning Oscars for visual effects from movies such as Lord of the Rings, was delighted to make it happen.
"She was very patient. We haven't always been able to fulfil some requests. We were engaged in it pretty quickly because it was a challenge."
Weta costumer Lee Williams, who worked on the suit between film projects with seven other staff, told Close Up she "wanted [Nadya] to be beautiful and sexy".
After seeing Ms Vessey test the tail in Kilbirnie pool then frolic in the harbour, Ms Williams was stoked. "It was absolutely amazing. It's beautiful to watch Nadya swim and to see that dream come true and to be a part of that. I feel quite blessed."
The suit was made mostly of wetsuit fabric and plastic moulds, and was covered in a digitally printed sock. Mermaid-like scales were painted by hand.
Mr Taylor said not only did the tail have to be functional, it was important it looked realistic. "What became apparent was that she actually physically wanted to look like a mermaid."
There's a picture of the finished mermaid tail at the link above. I just... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Oh, and... http://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/4858577a22378.html
Marae stay for movie star
Northern News | Wednesday, 25 February 2009
A Kiwi movie star spent a weekend at Ururangi Marae in Awarua last week to learn more about his wife’s cultural heritage.
Karl Urban, who starred in Pathfinder and co-starred in such epics as The Bourne Supremacy, Doom, The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek and The Chronicles of Riddick met with kaumatua and members of his wife Natalie Wihongi’s family during the weekend. The couple’s two sons, eight-year-old Hunter and Indiana, 3, also stayed over.
Karl, Natalie and his family live in Auckland. This week, he is leaving for Argentina where he has a role in a new movie.
I didn't know his wife was Maori. Do go to the link to drool over the gorgeous new picture they included!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4858855a11.html
Mermaid dream comes true thanks to Weta
By MATT CALMAN - The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Nadya Vessey lost her legs as a child but now she swims like a mermaid.
Ms Vessey's mermaid tail was created by Wellington-based film industry wizards Weta Workshop after the Auckland woman wrote to them two years ago asking if they could make her a prosthetic tail. She was astounded when they agreed.
She lost both legs below the knee from a medical condition when she was a child and told Close Up last night her long-held dream had come true. "A prosthetic is a prosthetic, and your body has to be comfortable with it and you have to mentally make it part of yourself," she said.
Ms Vessey told a little boy: "I'm a little mermaid" when he asked what happened to her legs and the idea stuck.
Weta Workshop director Richard Taylor, more used to winning Oscars for visual effects from movies such as Lord of the Rings, was delighted to make it happen.
"She was very patient. We haven't always been able to fulfil some requests. We were engaged in it pretty quickly because it was a challenge."
Weta costumer Lee Williams, who worked on the suit between film projects with seven other staff, told Close Up she "wanted [Nadya] to be beautiful and sexy".
After seeing Ms Vessey test the tail in Kilbirnie pool then frolic in the harbour, Ms Williams was stoked. "It was absolutely amazing. It's beautiful to watch Nadya swim and to see that dream come true and to be a part of that. I feel quite blessed."
The suit was made mostly of wetsuit fabric and plastic moulds, and was covered in a digitally printed sock. Mermaid-like scales were painted by hand.
Mr Taylor said not only did the tail have to be functional, it was important it looked realistic. "What became apparent was that she actually physically wanted to look like a mermaid."
There's a picture of the finished mermaid tail at the link above. I just... ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Oh, and... http://www.stuff.co.nz/northland/4858577a22378.html
Marae stay for movie star
Northern News | Wednesday, 25 February 2009
A Kiwi movie star spent a weekend at Ururangi Marae in Awarua last week to learn more about his wife’s cultural heritage.
Karl Urban, who starred in Pathfinder and co-starred in such epics as The Bourne Supremacy, Doom, The Lord of the Rings, Star Trek and The Chronicles of Riddick met with kaumatua and members of his wife Natalie Wihongi’s family during the weekend. The couple’s two sons, eight-year-old Hunter and Indiana, 3, also stayed over.
Karl, Natalie and his family live in Auckland. This week, he is leaving for Argentina where he has a role in a new movie.
I didn't know his wife was Maori. Do go to the link to drool over the gorgeous new picture they included!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-02-25 07:10 am (UTC)As for Karl, hmmm, I'll just ignore the wife bit there, but nice story (except, again, for his wife being in it), and lovely pic! ;D
ETA, found pics of her, here and here. Hrmph. I reluctantly have to admit she looks nice. *checks for temperature* But she doesn't look Maori at all. Though I guess that doesn't say much?
no subject
Date: 2009-02-25 11:37 am (UTC)And Karl just gets more cute!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-25 03:58 pm (UTC)As is the story about Karl and his family.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-25 08:20 pm (UTC)Karl's wife doesn't look particularly Maori, but maybe she's half Maori? Those pics of them together are lovely!