Actress claims death threats after sex video

A TV star at the centre of a sex tape scandal has spoken of the backlash she has faced from her Pacific Island community. Teuila Blakely told TVNZ's Tagata Pasifika programme that she has even faced death threats after being filmed in a sexual act with Warriors league player Konrad Hurrell. Ms Blakely is used to being in the spotlight as a star of the small screen on Shortland Street. But she is now facing unwanted attention after being viewed in another light. The video of her and Hurrell was briefly on the internet. "I've had requests from Samoa for me and my whole family to commit suicide. People wish I would die and they would never hear from me because I'm an 'uneducated slut'," she told Tagata Pasifika. She says the subject of sex, specifically when in Pacific Island communities, has a sense of shame with it, "especially regarding women." "And I feel like what has interested the public, the Pacific public, is the fact that they have an opportunity to shame a woman for being sexual." Hurrell was fined $5000 by the club, but the actress says she has been dealt a harder card. "What upsets me is the way they are voicing those judgments. It's like they're being so cruel. And, you know, I haven't killed anybody," she says. "I think it's unfortunate that Teuila is having to carry on her shoulders the expectations of so many complex and entrenched Pacific expectations," says Auckland University Chaplain, Reverend Uesifili Unasa. "I think it's being preached in the pulpits every Sunday that our human nature, particularly intimate and sexual nature, is something...literally to be ashamed of," he says. Ms Blakely says she has also received overwhelming support, and for that's she's grateful.