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TemueraMorrison

Te Arawa
  • Actor
Temuera-Morrison-key-profile.jpg

Temuera Morrison was acting on screen at age 11. Two decades later he won Kiwi TV immortality as Dr Ropata in Shortland Street, and rave global reviews as abusive husband Jake Heke in Once Were Warriors. Since reprising his Warriors role in a well-regarded sequel, Morrison has starred in Crooked Earth, Tracker, Mahana and shows Far North and The Book of Boba Fett — plus hosted a talk show and a variety show.

Screenography

The Wrecking Crew
2026 As: Governor Peter Mahoe Film
Chief of War
2025 As: King Kahekili Series
Ka Whawhai Tonu
2024 As: Rewi Maniapoto Film
Far North - Excerpt
2023 As: Ed Television
Far North
2023 As: Ed Series

Biography

Temuera Morrison won Kiwi television immortality thanks to the first episode of long-running soap Shortland Street, after a nurse told his character he was no longer in Guatemala. Morrison's role as Jake the Muss in Once Were Warriors proved the actor was no joke. Critics called him "extraordinary" and "engagingly terrifying".

Awards

2024 New Zealand Television Awards / Ngā Taonga Whakaata O Aotearoa
Nominated for Best Actor: for Far North

“… a leading actor as elemental, charismatic and brutal as the young Marlon Brando; he has instinctive star power, and it's his likability that makes the violence of his character so shocking.”

— American critic Roger Ebert on Temuera Morrison in Once Were Warriors, The Chicago Sun-Times, 3 March 1995

Related images

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From left to right - Temuera Morrison, Pete Smith, Cliff Curtis and Brian Kairau.
Photographer: Kerry Brown. Kindly provided by Onfilm.
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Julian Arahanga (left) as Nig and Temuera Morrison (right) as Jake in Once Were Warriors.
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Temuera Morrison getting in shape for Once Were Warriors, watched on by Robert Bruce.
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A shot from the Once Were Warriors premiere. From left to right: Neil Roberts from production company Communicado, actor Cliff Curtis, producer Robin Scholes, actor Temuera Morrison, Communicado's Garry McAlpine and director Lee Tamahori.
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Temuera Morrison as Jake (left) and Rena Owen as Beth (right) in a scene from Once Were Warriors.
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A scene from the early days of Shortland Street: From left, Michael Galvin as Doctor Chris Warner, Lisa Crittenden as Nurse Carrie Burton and Temuera Morrison as Doctor Hone Ropata.
Photo courtesy of South Pacific Pictures
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At the premiere of River Queen in Wanganui. From left is director Vincent Ward, producer Don Reynolds and actor Temuera Morrison.
Photographer: Bill Kearns. Kindly provided by The Dominion Post.
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Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis at the premiere of River Queen in Wanganui.
Photographer: Bill Keanrns. Kindly provided by The Dominion Post.
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Temuera Morrison as Jack in E Tipu E Rea - Te Moemoea.
Photo appears courtesy of the New Zealand Film Commission.
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(From left) actors Olf Ulberg, Mark Pilisi, Temuera Morrison and Allan Sio in 1984 film Other Halves.
Photo by Gil Hanly, provided by Onfilm