Cliff Curtis

Born in Paraparaumu, New Zealand, in 1968, Cliff was the sixth of seven children to George and Cynthia Curtis. Sadly, Cynthia and daughter Lana died in a car crash when Cliff was only three and a half. That badly affected the whole family, and they were all split up to various homes across the country. Cliff says his father George coped as best he could.

A programme run by the Mohi family for at-risk youth on Mokoia Island in Rotorua introduced Cliff to the traditional Māori martial art of ‘Mau Taiaha’, which instilled a sense of pride in his cultural identity.

“I met Mita as a 12-year-old ward of the state. Life was not going well for me at the time. I was a problem child. Mita Mohi saved my life,” he recalls.

But Cliff was determined to create something of his life. He became a two-time national rock ‘n’ roll dance champion, which led to being invited to choreograph musical theatre, and, before long, he found himself at Toi Whakaari, the New Zealand Drama School. After graduation, Cliff ’s acting career kicked off in the late 1980s, when he appeared in several New Zealand theatre and dance productions, and television dramas.

Following his film debut in Jane Campion’s The Piano (1993), Cliff gained international recognition for his role in Lee Tamahori’s Once Were Warriors (1994). He won his first award for his role as Fraser in Peter Wells’ cult classic Desperate Remedies (1994). These films were critical and commercial successes and launched his career on the international stage.

Cliff began to receive offers to work in Hollywood. He appeared in several high-profile productions, working with some of the industry’s genuine heavyweights: David O. Russell’s Three Kings (1999), Martin Scorsese’s Bringing Out the Dead (1999), Michael Mann’s The Insider (1999), Ted Demme’s Blow (2001) and Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day (2001).

His performances were widely praised for their intensity and authenticity, and he quickly became known as a gifted actor with uncommon range.

“I’ve really tried to stay away from repetitive stereotypes of people of colour. I try to imbue roles with humanity,” he says.

In 2002, Cliff appeared in the film Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro, adapted from the beloved novella by Witi Ihimaera. The movie tells the story of a young Māori girl who defies gender norms to become a leader for her people, with Cliff playing the father who encourages his daughter’s ambition. Whale Rider was an international hit, earning numerous awards and nominations. Cliff ’s performance earned him several awards, including Best Actor at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards.

Cliff ’s career continued to flourish, and he starred in many major international productions, such as Collateral Damage (2002), alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger; River Queen (2005), directed by fellow New Zealander Vincent Ward; Live Free or Die Hard (2007), with Bruce Willis; The Fountain (2006), directed by Darren Aronofsky; Sunshine (2007), directed by Danny Boyle; the Fast & Furious franchise, playing Dwayne Johnson’s brother; and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), directed by James Cameron.

In 2004, Cliff and cousin Ainsley Gardiner, formed Whenua Films, and then ĀRAMA Pictures, a production company with a mandate to tell indigenous stories. Cliff’s significant and growing list of production credits include Taika Waititi’s films Eagle vs Shark (2007), Boy (2010), James Napier Robinson’s The Dark Horse (2014), and Heperi Mita’s award-winning documentary Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen (2018).

Cliff had a recurring role in the hit series Fear the Walking Dead, playing the character of Travis Manawa, a high school teacher who becomes a leader in a post-apocalyptic world. In 2024, he will star as the Greek god Poseidon in the Netflix series KAOS, alongside Jeff Goldblum as his brother, Zeus. He will also play King Keōua in Chief of War, alongside Jason Momoa and Temuera Morrison, an epic series based on the musket wars of 17th-century Hawai’i.

The 2014 film The Dark Horse further demonstrated Cliff ’s exceptional talent and commitment to authentic storytelling. It tells the true story of Genesis Potini, a Māori chess player struggling with mental illness.

He gained over 30 kilograms, put in dentures, and completely transformed himself for the role. Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter said: “The Dark Horse is an emotionally potent story of redemption anchored by a heart-piercing lead performance from Cliff Curtis that is certain to attract awards attention.”

Cliff ’s portrayal of the character was hailed by critics and earned him Best Actor at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and the Seattle International Film Festival.

Cliff immediately contrasted that performance, shedding over 30 kilograms to play the role of Jesus (Yeshua) in Kevin Reynold’s Risen (2016).

In 2022, he played the lead in Tearepa Kahi’s Muru. Based on actual events, the film centres on the conflict felt by a Māori policeman as armed government forces launched raids on the small settlement of Rūātoki. The movie would go on to win the UNESCO Award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Cliff was also one of the film’s executive producers.

Beyond his work as an actor, Cliff is also an advocate for his Māori culture and language. He has spoken publicly about the importance of preserving Māori traditions and has worked to promote the use of te reo Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“When I first got opportunities to be in lead roles exploring Māori themes that were central to the narrative, I realised there were so many stories that I wanted to tell about my culture, and where I am from. Contemporary things, historical things, comedy, drama, action – it opened a whole world of possibility, with stories that can reflect back to me and my own people who we are, as opposed to being in the backdrop of someone else’s story.”