Two stars of the new Three miniseries Jonah have told The Project what it's like to tell All Black Jonah Lomu's life story.
What New Zealand saw during Lomu's life was only the surface of the story. A new two-part miniseries about him reveals the complex human behind the scenes - the suffering, the flaws and ultimately the tragedy.
- Jonah Lomu mini-series brings to light the stories behind the rugby legend
- New television series about Jonah Lomu to dramatise his life
- Watch: Exclusive first look at Jonah Lomu mini-series
Mosese Vea'ila and Joe Naufahu from Jonah told The Project they had big shoes to fill playing real-life characters well known in New Zealand.
Vea'ila, who plays Lomu, wasn't even alive in 1995 when the All Black was in his prime, but said he's well aware of Lomu's legacy.
"I never got to meet the man himself, but he grew up in Māngere and I'm a Māngere boy myself and we went to the same church.
"But Jonah was sort of this ghost god, floating around all the time."
Naufahu, who plays Frank Bunce, was able to meet Lomu and even played rugby against him. He said Vea'ila was the right pick.
"Jonah was very unassuming, he was a quiet shy guy, but a heart of gold. There was a quiet power about him and Mosese has all of that."
Part one of Jonah the miniseries is on Three at 8:30pm on Sunday night, and part two on Monday.
Watch the video.
