Moana-Nui Berryman On Not Looking Like ‘The Girl Next Door’ On The Real Love Boat

The Real Love Boat star Moana-Nui Berryman is no doubt one of the most talked-about contestants on the reality TV show so far since it premiered last week. In the first two episodes, the 26-year-old has already been caught in a love square of sorts, while also having to face her ex on the ship.

While the extroverted Queenslander has unapologetically spoken up for herself and others on the show, she says she hasn't always been so confident, and like many women, still struggles with her self-esteem when she compares herself to others on social media.

"Girls always compare themselves, especially with how social media is where we're always scrolling on Instagram or TikTok and seeing someone prettier than us," Berryman tells Refinery29 Australia.

The proud Māori woman says growing up she struggled to see people of influence who looked like her in the media, and this shaped her view of what society deems as attractive and worthy.

"I was born in '96 and that was the era of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, and they looked completely different to me," she says. "So I've never had that influential figure where I can go, 'Oh my God, she looks like me and she's doing amazing, great things'."

Seeing white women idealised in the media drove her to compare herself to these "society-standard norms".

Back in August, Berryman shared an Instagram post where she reflected on the impact social media has had on her, and her more recent efforts to embrace herself for who she is.

"I see girls post selfies on Instagram and I always wished I could look as good as them or I would always think my photos never looked quite as good as theirs," she wrote on the social media platform.

"I feel like women have always compared themselves with pretty much everything we do in life. So I’m trying to stop comparing myself to other women and just like the way I look."

Berryman tells Refinery29 that prior to going on the dating show, she had considered the possibility she'd be the only or one of very few women of colour on the screen.

"I did have an idea going onto this show that I wasn't going to look like all the other girls, especially being not only someone of colour, but also someone that's quite edgy," she explains.

"I've got a sleeve of tattoos and all the girls are amazing... they're stunning and they all look like the girl next door and I don't necessarily look like that."

She was also wary of how women of colour can be portrayed on television, and developed a close bond with co-star and proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, Sari-Ella Thaiday.

"I feel women of colour do have that stigma of being the one in the drama and people look for the big [facial] expressions," she says. "So I did try and stay away from that as much as I could and I tried to be as real and authentic as I could be... with 20 cameras in your face," she then laughs.

While she hasn't gone looking for it, a bit of drama has followed her in the first two episodes of The Real Love Boat so far. Berryman not only came face-to-face with her ex Dan who's also a contestant on the show, but has been caught between Paddy and Dalton, before newcomer Chelsea stepped onto the boat. In episode 2, Berryman was left in tears after feeling overwhelmed by female co-stars bombarding her with advice on how to deal with Paddy after Dalton told her that Paddy was no longer interested in her.

"That night every single person had an opinion on what I should do, and I think it was extremely overwhelming at that point," she reflects.

"I think they meant it from a good place, I don't think it was malicious at all. Every girl wants to help out their girlfriend and they always want what's better... but it still is overwhelming when you have six or seven girls telling you what to do with someone that you're talking to."

Berryman is one of 21 contestants aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Mediterranean, hoping to find their perfect match by participating in challenges and going on dates that will test couples' chemistry and compatibility.