Born in Samoa, raised in South Auckland, Anapela Polata’ivao was a founding member, with her partner Vela Manusaute, of the South Auckland theatre company Kila Kokonut Krew, which won them a New Generation Arts Laureate award in 2014. Her acting credits include Victor Rodger's My Name Is Gary Cooper, Sia Figel's Where We Once Belonged and Tusiata Avia’s Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, for which she won Actress of the Year at the Wellington Theatre Awards 2018 and Best Director at the Auckland Theatre Awards 2016. Additional awards include Best Actress at the Fresh Shorts Awards 2012 for her work in Zia Mandviwalla's Night Shift, as well as Best Actress at the International Short Film Festival in Spain. She is a graduate of Toi Whakaari.