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Temuera Derek Morrison is a New Zealand actor.

After training in drama under the New Zealand Special Performing Arts Training Scheme. One of his earliest starring roles was in the 1988 film Never Say Die, opposite Lisa Eilbacher. In 1994, he received attention for his role as the violent and abusive Maori husband Jake "The Muss" Heke in Once Were Warriors, a film adaptation of Alan Duff's novel of the same name. The film became the most successful local title released in New Zealand, and sold to many countries overseas. The role won him international acclaim and he received the award for best male performance in a dramatic role at the 1994 New Zealand Film and Television Awards. He reprised the role in the sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, for which he received the Best Actor award from the New Zealand Film Awards. Despite the acclaim he received for his performance, Morrison said in 2010 that he felt typecast by the role, to the point that it was "a millstone round my neck".

In 1996, Morrison played opposite Marlon Brando in The Island Of Dr. Moreau. He has appeared in supporting roles in Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) and The Beautiful Country (2004). In 1988 he got to show some comic flair in the James Bond parody Never Say Die. In 2005, Morrison became the host of the talk show The Tem Show on New Zealand television.

In the 1996 Queen's Birthday Honours, Morrison was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to drama.

He started writing an autobiography in 2009, which he hoped would inspire others to "reach for the stars".

He released his debut album, Tem, through Sony Music Entertainment NZ in late November 2014. The album consists of covers of songs that his father, and uncle Sir Howard Morrison, used to perform at local venues when he was growing up.

Morrison has gained attention for his role as the bounty hunter Jango Fett in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Part of the film's plot involves an army of clones created with Jango's DNA; Morrison also provided the voice acting for the clones.[7] He reappeared as a number of clones in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and re-recorded the lines of the character Boba Fett (Jango's "son") and another clone in the 2004 DVD re-releases of the original Star Wars trilogy, replacing the voice of Jason Wingreen.

Most recently, he became known for voicing Chief Tui, the father of the title character in Disney's Moana (2016). Morrison is currently playing Aquaman's father in the Warner Bros. Feature Aquaman 1 & 2.

"Shall We Begin!", the battlecry of The undefeated Gaul Crixus first bought Manu Bennett's voice & acting career to international attention. Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011) spoke a universal language that slowly but surely captured a massive audience. The the show lost lead actor Andy Whitfield to cancer, Bennett's pivotal role, transitioning from Spartacus' nemesis to a slave rebel leader, he was credited for maintaining throughout, the heart & strength of the series. Producer/Director Peter Jackson then employed Bennett to portray Orc Leader "Azog - The Defiler". At the World Premiere of The Hobbit, Peter Jackson told press that Bennett's was the "The Breakout Performance". Although many Tolkein fans failed to recognize him beneath the CGI veneer, Bennett's looming presence, hunting down Thorin Oakenshield & culminating in the ultimate face-off, where both characters die, Bennett entered the catalogue of the great cinematic Villain Performances. DC Comic soldier of fortune, Slade Wildon aka Deathstroke had slumbered for two decades until Bennett reprised the role on the CW series Arrow. Many DC fans declared Bennett as the best villain on the hit series when he established a heartfelt dominant core relationship with Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). The two befriended upon the Island of Lian Yu before an incident with a super-drug called Mirakuru transformed Slade into the archetypal good guy/bad guy Deathstroke. Originally penned by Marv Wolfman & illustrated by George Perez, Deathstroke has now become a hot property for the DC Universe with Tony Daniels illustrating the new series of Deathstroke comic books & a Warner Bros Deathstroke feature film pending. When MTV shifted their focus toward producing original series they selected Bennett to portray the Dark Druid Allanon in the newly acquired Shannara Chronicles Series. Bennett had just the right mix of stoicism, angst & dramatic suave sought by the Shannara producers & author Terry Brooks. Manu Bennett is of Maori, Scottish, English, French & Finish ancestry. Bennett was born in Auckland, New Zealand. Bennett's great grandfather Frederick Augustus Bennett was the first Maori Bishop of the Anglican Church in New Zealand. Bennett's namesake Manuhuia Bennett (grandfather) was also ordained an Anglican Bishop. The Bennett name has roots dating back to a French Benedictine Monastery established in Northumbria in Northern England circa 500AD. The monastery was subsequently turned into a defensive fort named Chillingham Castle. With the advent of surnames circa 1000AD, the name Bennett was derived from Benedictine.

Manu Bennett's father Charles Edward Tiwha (Ted) Bennett was a popular New Zealand singer who recorded a No.1 hit "Clap Your Hands" & several other hits in the early 1960's. Bennett's mother Jean Clark was a bikini model from Australia who paraded the very first two piece bikini for designer Paula Stafford. Bennett's parents met during the Spring Blossom Festival in Hastings New Zealand. Bennett has two older siblings, Stephen & Rachel. The Bennett family moved to Australia in 1970. Jean Bennett nee Clark, was the winner of the Miss Paradise Beach, a swimsuit title held on the Gold Coast of Australia. Bennett's first acting job was on a series titled Paradise Beach, where he played stud, surf lifesaver, iron man Kirk Barsby. Bennett's mother, Jean, died in a car accident in 1985. His brother Stephen suffered injuries in a separate car accident & died only two weeks later.

During his schooling Manu Bennett trained as a dancer & musician & well as playing Rugby Union. Bennett was selected for the First XV for Te Aute College a Maori Boy school know for their strong rugby union history. On return to Australia Bennett was selected for the NSW Schoolboys Rugby Union Team & to trial for the Australian National Team. Bennett was prevented from attending the National trial outs due to a prior commitment to a ballet production of Swan Lake in which he had to perform the male lead. In the the 90's Bennett had to choose between a ballet scholarship in New York or an acting scholarship at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Bennett decided to pursue his acting career & attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles.

Manu has appeared on various TV dramas & feature films, including multiple award winning "Lantana," opposite Anthony La Paglia. His first physical role was with appearing opposite Jon Cena on "The Marine". WWE was impressed with Bennett so gave him a role in their second feature film The Condemned starring opposite "Stone Cold" Steve Austin & Vinnie Jones. Rob Tapert cast Bennett as Marc Antony in Xena Warrior Princess, then opposite Josh Hartnett in the Vampire Horror 30 Days Of Night, then was pivotal in Bennett getting the role of Crixus in the series Spartacus.

Previous TV credits include starring roles in successful New Zealand productions "Shortland Street," "Street Legal," "Mataku," "Creature Of Quest," "Going Straight," and as Marc Antony opposite his "Spartacus" co-star Lucy Lawless in Tapert and Raimi's hit series "Xena: Warrior Princess."

Cliff Curtis was born in Rotorua, New Zealand, on July 27, 1968.

He is of New Zealand Maori descent (with Ngati Hauiti and Te Arawa tribal affiliations). He enrolled at the New Zealand Drama School, and then the Teatro Dmitri Scuola in Switzerland.

After returning to New Zealand from Europe, he was cast in The Piano (1993). Subsequent roles in New Zealand include the camp melodrama Desperate Remedies (1992), the grueling urban drama Once Were Warriors (1994), and the lighthearted comedy Jubilee (2000).

In Hollywood, Curtis has played a range of different roles and ethnicities in films. He plays a Colombian in Blow (2001), an Arab in Three Kings (1999) and The Insider (1999), a Latino in Training Day (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003), and a drug dealer of ambiguous ethnicity in Bringing Out the Dead (1999). However, he is probably best known for his role as Paikea's father Porourangi, in Whale Rider (2002).

Jordi Webber is a 30 year Maori Actor/Musician from New Zealand. Most notable for his roles in 'Choose Love' (Netflix), Prosper (Stan), Home and Away (Seven Network), Power Rangers (Nickelodeon), The Deadlands (AMC), and Mistletoe Ranch (Jaggi Productions) He will next appear in US indie 'Nomad' set for theatrical release in 2025, and Starz/Lionsgate Spartacus House of Ashur as a series lead. Jordi also performs under kiwi music act 'Waazzoo and the vibes', an alternative pop/roots based in Auckland New Zealand.

Miriama Smith was born on 3 June 1976 in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. She is an actress, known for Love and Monsters (2020), Power Rangers DinoThunder (2004) and Mirror, Mirror (1995).

John Batten was born on 3 April 1903 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He was an actor, known for The Love Waltz (1930), The Greenwood Tree (1929) and Trapped in a Submarine (1932). He was married to Madeleine Murat. He died on 10 August 1993 in Colchester, Essex, England, UK.

Rebecca Massey is a Sydney based actress born in Rotorua, New Zealand in 1969.

Rebecca's first professional job was at the age of 17 in a production of the Crucible with the Mercury Theatre Company (now Auckland Theatre Company). She went on to star in Daughters of Heaven, opening the Auckland Theatre Company. She was a founding member of Stronghold Theatre company with Peter Evans, whom she married. After graduating from Auckland Law School she moved to Australia to begin a career as an actress. Later, Rebecca toured New Zealand with an Australian production of Steaming with Liz Burch, Lenore Smith and the late Cornelia Frances.

After moving to Sydney Australia, Director Neil Armfield cast her in The Alchemist, alongside Geoffrey Rush, Hugo Weaving and Max Cullen. She worked consistently with Armfield at Company B until Armfield's resignation as artistic director of the theatre in 2010. During that time she was awarded a Glug and a Green Room Award for Best Actress, and nominated for two Helpmann Awards for Best Supporting Actress for Steve Martin's The Underpants and Steven Sewell's It Just Stopped. Much of the time in those years was taken up with touring the world with the epic Cloudstreet, Nick Enright and Justin Monjo's adaptation of Tim Winton's celebration of Australia by the novel of the same name.

She has consistently performed alongside many of Australia's great actors and actresses including Cate Blanchett (The Seagull), Geoffrey Rush (Exit the King, The Small Poppies, The Alchemist), Barry Otto (in Steve Martin's WASP and in Molière's Tartuffe (1925)), Julie Forsyth, and Jacec Koman. Rebecca opened the new theatre Belvoir Street together with Catherine McClements and John Woods in It Just Stopped.

Since 2010 she worked with the Malthouse Theatre, the State Theatre of South Australia in John Doyle's play, Vere (Faith), The Griffin Theatre Company in Kill Climate Deniers by David Finigan. For the Sydney Theatre Company she has appeared in Travesties, Vere (Faith), Perplex, After Dinner by Andrew Bovell, Lucy Kirkwood's play Chimerica and Moira Buffini's play 'Dinner'.

Rebecca's film and television credits include the award winning Chandon Pictures (2007)(ABC) which won Best Comedy (AFI, ADG and AWGIES), Best Original Production (ASTRA), Most Outstanding Light Entertainment (LOGIES), and Utopia (2014) (ABC): which won Best Television Comedy Series (AACTA), Most Outstanding Comedy Program (LOGIES)

Other television credits include Lowdown (2010), My Place (2009), Stepfather of the Bride (2006), Deep Water (2016).

Film credits she is known for are Son of the Mask (2005), Stepfather of the Bride (2006), Accidents Happen (2009), Lowdown (2010), Backyard Ashes (2013), The Principal (2015), Bad Girl (2016).

Rebecca is married and has a daughter.

Howard Morrison was born on 18 August 1935 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He was an actor, known for Hawaii Five-O (1968), Funny Things Happen Down Under (1965) and Don't Let It Get You (1966). He was married to Rangiwhata Ann 'Kuia' Manahi. He died on 24 September 2009 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

John Trevithick was born in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is known for The Amazing Extraordinary Friends (2007), We're Here to Help (2007) and Peter's Friends (1992).

Alan Duff was born in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is known for Once Were Warriors (1994), What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999) and Once Were Warriors: Generations.

Steven Adams was born on 20 July 1993 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is an actor, known for NBA on NBA TV (1999), The NBA on TNT (1988) and The Kiwi Way: Steven Adams' New Zealand (2015).

Ngahere Ngatai was born on 16 November 1984 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

John Waaka was born in 1940 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is known for Naked Down Under (1990). He was previously married to Maureen Waaka.

Darren Gibson was born on 19 February 1970 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is an actor and producer, known for Non-Stop (2014), Terminator Salvation (2009) and Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018).

Valerie Adams was born on 6 October 1984 in Rotorua, New Zealand. She is an actress, known for Visa: Carpool to Rio (2016), Commonwealth Games (1954) and Rio 2016: Games of the XXXI Olympiad (2016). She has been married to Gabriel Price since 2 April 2016. They have two children. She was previously married to Bertrand Vili.

Eddie Low was born on 14 May 1943 in Rotorua, New Zealand. He died on 21 September 2024 in New Zealand.

Anna Wilson was born on 10 May 1995 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Jean Batten was born on 15 September 1909 in Rotorua, New Zealand. She died on 22 November 1982 in Majorca, Spain.

Witarina Mitchell was born on 15 May 1906 in Rotorua, New Zealand. She was married to Reginald Harris. She died on 10 June 2007 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Amanda Landers-Murphy was born on 7 June 1991 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Dame Susan Devoy was born on 1 January 1964 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Christine Hutt was born in 1981 in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Bron in Rotorua, New Zealand, I grew up in Te Puke with my two older sisters and parents. At age 7, I moved with my family to the Gold Coast, Australia where I attended A.B. Paterson College until I left school after completing year 10, to pursue an apprenticeship in Cabinet Making. I worked as a Cabinet Maker for six years, completing my apprenticeship in four, before I moved to Perth, WA, and began working in the mines as a Shotfirer. After two years in the mines, I came back to the Gold Coast to work as a Telecommunications Rigger in Brisbane. I worked for a further two years as a Rigger, working all over Australia. It was while working in Darwin I fell in love with writing. Over the past two years I have written many scripts (feature and shorts) and In January 2016, I left my job as a Rigger, so I could pursue my dream of becoming a filmmaker.