100 People Behind Bay Business - 2023

TEMUERA MORRISON
Question: What does a
doctor, a violent drunk, a
stormtrooper, and a space
traveling bounty hunter have
in common?
Answer: Temuera Morrison,
award winning actor and
singer, originally from
Rotorua.
FROM ROTORUA TO HOLLYWOOD
Temuera Derek Morrison was born in Rotorua
in 1960 to Hana Morrison and musician Laurie
Morrison (Sir Howard Morrison’s brother). He grew
up in Ohakune and graduated from the Massey
University with a degree in drama. He trained in
drama under the New Zealand Special Performing
Arts Training Scheme.
An 11-year-old Temuera Morrison was given his
first role in a British TV series Rangi’s Catch after
being spotted performing for tourists in Rotorua.
The series, seen in New Zealand cinemas as a
shortened movie version, was filmed by expat Kiwi
director Michael Forlong.
It was the start of an impressive list of local and
international roles ranging from comedy to dark
drama. His film titles include Never Say Die, Barb
Wire, Little White Lies, Speed 2: Cruise Control,
Vertical limit, Crooked Earth, The Beautiful Country,
The Green Lantern, and Aquaman to name but a
few. Later this year he will appear in The Flash and
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Temuera Morrison became a household name
when he portrayed Dr. Hone Ropata on Shortland
Street, but he gained critical acclaim internationally
as Jake “The Muss” Heke in Once Were Warriors in
1994, a role he reprised in the 1999 sequel What
becomes of the Broken Hearted?
STAR WARS
Morrison appeared as the bounty hunter Jango
Fett in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
(2002); he also provided the voice for Jango Fett
clones. Since then, he has portrayed Jango Fett
in four more movies in the Stars Wars Franchise.
He rerecorded the lines of Boba Fett (Jango Fett’s
son for the remastered 2004 DVD collection of the
original Stars Wars trilogy.
Boba Fett became a bigger role than his father,
in fact he got his own Disney+ series called The
Book of Boba Fett, with Morrison portraying the
titular character. Morrison joked, “I worked hard on
the physical side…some of these fans were calling
me Boba Fat.”
STAGE AND SONG
In addition to his film and television work, Morrison
has starred in stage productions of Hamlet, Othello,
and King Lear, as well as several contemporary
plays. Morrison is also a successful singer and
songwriter, having released two albums.
AWARDS
Although nominated for awards several times, his
role as Jake Heke earned him a Best Actor Award at
the 1994 New Zealand Film and TV Awards.
He was also appointed a Member of the New
Zealand Order of Merit, for services to drama, in the
1996 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Morrison is considered one of New Zealand’s
most accomplished actors and has been praised
for his versatility and commitment to his craft. He
currently lives in New Zealand and divides his time
filming here, in Australia, and in the United States.
100 – PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS | 2023 | 5