Temuera Morrison

This handsome, compact actor of Maori descent garnered international attention for his portrayal as the abusive and alcoholic Jake in Lee Tamahori's "Once Were Warriors" (1994). The son of a musician and nephew of famed New Zealand entertainer Sir Howard Morrison, he was raised in Rotarua, a noted tourist spot in his homeland. After completing his schooling, Morrison briefly worked with his uncle before deciding to pursue an acting career. Through the Special Performing Arts Training Scheme (SPATS), he gained experience which led to his early feature work in "Other Halves" (1985), in which he was the friend of a Maori teenager romancing an older white woman. Other roles soon followed in the stunningly photographed "Mauri" (1988) and as a laid-back reporter in the James Bond spoof "Never Say Die" (also 1988).