Temuera Morrison

Temuera Morrison

Actor, Director, Producer

Born December 26, 1960 in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand

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.

Top titles

  • Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  • Once Were Warriors
  • Chief of War - Season 1
  • Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  • Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Bonus Content)
  • Moana (4K UHD)
  • My Life is Murder - Season 1
  • The Beautiful Country
  • Secret Level - Season 1
  • Patriarch (the)
  • Far North: Season 1
  • Aquaman
  • The Brighton Miracle
  • The Flash
  • Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (Bonus Content)
  • Echo 3 - Season 1
  • The Wrecking Crew
  • Mosley
  • Moana 2
  • What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted

Filmography

  • 2026
    The Bluff
  • The Wrecking Crew
  • 2025
    Chief of War - Season 1
  • 2024
    Secret Level - Season 1
  • In the Fire of War
  • Moana 2
  • 2023
    Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
  • Sons of Summer
  • The Flash
  • Far North: Season 1
  • 2022
    Echo 3 - Season 1
  • 2020
    Occupation: Rainfall
  • 2019
    The Brighton Miracle
  • Mosley
  • My Life is Murder - Season 1
  • Dora and the Lost City of Gold
  • 2018
    Aquaman
  • Occupation
  • 2016
    Hard Target 2
  • Patriarch (the)
  • Moana (4K UHD)
  • The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One
  • 2012
    Extra Fresh Meat
  • El Escorpion De La Calle
  • 2011
    Green Lantern (Extended Version)
  • 2009
    Couples Retreat
  • The Marine 2
  • 2005
    Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Bonus Content)
  • River Queen
  • 2004
    The Beautiful Country
  • Renegade
  • 2002
    Mataku
  • Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (Bonus Content)
  • 2001
    Crooked Earth
  • 2000
    Ihaka
  • Vertical Limit
  • 1999
    What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
  • From Dusk Till Dawn III: The Hangman's Daughter
  • 1998
    Six Days, Seven Nights
  • 1997
    Speed 2: Cruise Control
  • 1996
    The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
  • Barb Wire
  • 1994
    Once Were Warriors
  • 1980
    Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Connections

  • Luke Sparke

    Luke Sparke

  • James Wan

    James Wan

  • Jason Momoa

    Jason Momoa

  • Cliff Curtis

    Cliff Curtis

Genres

  • Thriller
  • Action & Adventure
  • Comedy
  • Horror
  • Western
  • Military & War
  • Fantasy
  • Drama
  • Romance
  • Children & Family