Temuera Morrison
☼ Born on 26 December 1960, in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand
Biography
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
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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.
In the role of actor
Moana 2 (27/11/2024)
The Polynesian wayfinder gains a crew to try and break an island curse in Moana 2. Three years after restoring her people’s status as wayfinders, Moana (AuliÊ»i Cravalho) finds a clue about other people living across the ocean. While performing a ceremony with her father Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison, Moana has a vision of her […]
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (30/12/2023)
The King of Atlantis reluctantly teams up with his half-brother to take on a powerful new foe in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. As the King of Atlantis, Aquaman, Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), divides his time as the ruler of the underwater kingdom and living a domestic life with his Queen Mera (Amber Heard), along […]
Aquaman (21/12/2018)
The deep sea superhero sets out to claim his rightful place as king of Atlantis in Aquaman. Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) is an Atlantian half-breed born as a result of a forbidden union between lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman). One day, Arthur is approached by Princess Mera (Amber Heard) to come to […]
Moana (06/12/2016)
The heir of a Polynesian tribe goes on an adventure to save her island in Moana. Moana Waialiki (Auli’i Cravalho) is the heir to a tribe on the Polynesian island of Motunui. Despite her interest in the ocean, Moana’s father Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison) prevents her from going past the reef. However, as the crops get spoiled […]