Former Shortland Street actor Reuben is preparing to become a first-time father, with his partner Rhiana due to give birth after the couple discovered the pregnancy in July, according to the NZ Herald. The pair have moved in with Rhiana's parents in Whangārei while Reuben finishes renovating a small dwelling on his mother's property, where they will live with the baby and his dog Melo.
The story is a distinctly Northland one. Reuben, who played Jack on the long-running soap, delivered early-intervention mental health programmes in schools after leaving the show, and it was in that world of community work that his path crossed with Rhiana, a 27-year-old primary school teacher. They first bumped into each other at the gym where she worked, then met again 18 months later at a school where he was mentoring youth and she was training to teach.
From Shortland Street to real estate in Whangārei
Reuben was born in Auckland but moved to Whangārei, where both his parents are from, at the age of 10. His love of acting began at Whangārei Boys' High School, though he says performance was in him long before that.
“My mum always called me a drama queen! When I was about six, she got me a duvet cover that said 'drama queen' on it,” he told the NZ Herald.
Encouraged by a drama teacher he describes as amazing, and studying alongside his classmate and distant cousin Louis Davis, now New Zealand's top influencer, Reuben took part in workshops and school holiday programmes that eventually led him to audition for Shortland Street. He arrived in a guest role, and the self-described gentle giant quickly became a core cast member.
Playing one of New Zealand television's gay characters
The decision to bring Jack out as gay came when Reuben was about 18, and he admits he was initially hesitant.
“At the time, I was about 18, so I was a bit against the idea, but I said yes because I really loved doing that job and wanted to continue being an actor,” he said.
The late actor Pua Magasiva, a Shortland Street star himself, helped him see the value in the storyline.
“Pua was a big role model for me. He used to say, 'Bro, who cares? I've done so many auditions where I've had to kiss boys and stuff.' Because he was such a well-known person and I was so young, I took that to heart and eventually I just didn't care what anyone thought,” Reuben recalled.
Over time, the role gave him a perspective he did not expect. “I'm a connection person who avoids conflict, but some of the stuff Jack went through opened my eyes,” he said.
It is a quiet but meaningful marker of how far New Zealand screen storytelling has come: a young Māori actor from Whangārei playing a gay character in the country's most-watched weeknight drama, at peak viewing time, in the living rooms of families raising the next generation. For a generation of young LGBTQ+ viewers in provincial towns, characters like Jack mattered, and the actor behind him has made his peace with that legacy.
Recognition, community and a new career
Reuben now works as a real estate agent with Bayleys Whangārei, and he says the familiar face still helps.
“I still get recognised as Jack. My mum and other people say, 'It's been four years now!' but I'm like, 'I would've been in people's living rooms for eight years at peak times while they were growing up.' When people come up to me now, I'll turn it into a conversation to let them know what I'm doing. I'm just happy to be back home and part of my community,” he said.
Acting remains close to his heart, and whether through local theatre or a possible return to the screen, he is not ruling anything out.
“I love it with everything I've got. I'll always take it throughout my life and have a passion for it,” he said.
First-time parenthood in the town they love
For now, the couple's focus is on their tamariki, due soon. Reuben, who has five nieces and nephews, and Rhiana say they are ready.
“Seeing Reuben with kids solidified that we were ready for the next step,” Rhiana said.
“I want to be a supportive dad who's there for every part of my child's life. I want them to be happy and to feel comfortable to come to me whenever they have problems,” Reuben added.
Both are delighted, the NZ Herald reports, to be raising their child in the town they love, close to whānau and community. Reuben's journey from a boy with a “drama queen” duvet cover to a screen actor, school mentor and now expectant father traces an arc many young New Zealanders will recognise: talent nurtured by a state school teacher, a career that took him to Auckland, and a deliberate choice to come home and build a life rooted in the North.
Their announcement joins a wave of public pregnancy news this year, including celebrity announcements tracked by Us Weekly and expectant parents covered by Jingletree, but for this Whangārei couple the story playing out is a local one: a renovations list, a dog named Melo, and a nursery taking shape on a family property.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Reuben's partner and what does she do?
Rhiana is a 27-year-old primary school teacher. The couple met in Whangārei through Reuben's school-based youth mentoring work and discovered they were expecting in July 2026.
What role did Reuben play on Shortland Street?
He played Jack, a character introduced as a guest role that grew into core cast. Jack was later written as gay, a storyline Reuben initially resisted at 18 but came to value, with encouragement from the late actor Pua Magasiva.
What is Reuben doing now?
He works as a real estate agent with Bayleys Whangārei, has not ruled out a return to acting, and is preparing for the arrival of his first child with Rhiana.