Lee Tamahori
Encyclopedia
Lee Tamahori is a New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing the 1994 film Once Were Warriors
and the 2002 James Bond
film Die Another Day
.
, New Zealand, he is of Māori ancestry on his father's side and British on his mother's.
He attended Massey High School
and began his career as a commercial artist and photographer. He moved to the film industry in the late 1970s, initially getting in the door by working for nothing, then worked as a boom operator for Television New Zealand
, and on 1978 feature Skin Deep, the classic Goodbye Pork Pie
, and Bad Blood
.
In the early 1980s Geoff Murphy
employed him as an assistant director on Utu
, and he subsequently worked as first assistant director on films like The Silent One, The Quiet Earth
and Came a Hot Friday
. In 1986 Tamahori co-founded a commercial production company Flying Fish and made his name with a series of high-profile television commercials, including one awarded "Commercial of the Decade".
(1994), a gritty depiction of urban Māori life that was phenomenally successful in New Zealand. He then moved to Hollywood and directed the period thriller Mulholland Falls
(1996), although this was not received well critically or commercially. This was followed by the successful wilderness film The Edge (1997) and Die Another Day
(2002), the twentieth James Bond
movie. He directed numerous episodes of television shows, in particular an episode of The Sopranos
.
Tamahori's next film was the sequel to xXx
(2002), titled XXX: State of the Union
(2005) starring Ice Cube
and Willem Dafoe
; he replaced the original director, Rob Cohen
.
His next film was Next (2007), a science fiction action film
based on The Golden Man
, a short story by Philip K. Dick
. The film starred Nicolas Cage
, Julianne Moore
, and Jessica Biel
.
In 2010 he directed The Devil's Double
, based on the life of Uday Hussein
body-double Latif Yahia
and starring Dominic Cooper
. The film was released on 29 July 2011.
Once Were Warriors (film)
Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake...
and the 2002 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
.
Upbringing and early career
Born Warren Lee Tamahori, in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand, he is of Māori ancestry on his father's side and British on his mother's.
He attended Massey High School
Massey High School
Massey High School is a co-educational state secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand established in 1969. The school is located on the western edge of the city, giving it a blend of suburban and rural students. It has experienced significant roll growth over the past few years and is now the...
and began his career as a commercial artist and photographer. He moved to the film industry in the late 1970s, initially getting in the door by working for nothing, then worked as a boom operator for Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
, and on 1978 feature Skin Deep, the classic Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
, and Bad Blood
Bad Blood (1981 film)
Bad Blood is a 1982 British-New Zealand thriller film set in the small West Coast town of Koiterangi , during World War II, and is based on the factual manhunt for mass-murderer Stanley Graham. Directed by English director Mike Newell, much of the film was shot at the original locations. The script...
.
In the early 1980s Geoff Murphy
Geoff Murphy
Geoff Murphy is a successful New Zealand filmmaker best known for his work during the renaissance of New Zealand cinema that began in the last half of the 1970s....
employed him as an assistant director on Utu
Utu (film)
Utu is a 1983 New Zealand movie directed by Geoff Murphy. It starred Anzac Wallace. Utu was reputed to have one of the largest budgets for a New Zealand film at the time...
, and he subsequently worked as first assistant director on films like The Silent One, The Quiet Earth
The Quiet Earth
The Quiet Earth is a 1981 science fiction novel by New Zealand writer Craig Harrison.The novel was adapted into a 1985 New Zealand science fiction film of the same name directed by Geoff Murphy.-Alone:...
and Came a Hot Friday
Came a Hot Friday
Came a Hot Friday is a 1985 New Zealand made comedy film starring some of New Zealand's best-known actors and comedians, based on the 1964 novel by Ronald Hugh Morrieson.-Plot:...
. In 1986 Tamahori co-founded a commercial production company Flying Fish and made his name with a series of high-profile television commercials, including one awarded "Commercial of the Decade".
Hollywood
His break as a filmmaker came with Once Were WarriorsOnce Were Warriors (film)
Once Were Warriors is a 1994 film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism and domestic violence, mostly brought on by family patriarch Jake...
(1994), a gritty depiction of urban Māori life that was phenomenally successful in New Zealand. He then moved to Hollywood and directed the period thriller Mulholland Falls
Mulholland Falls
Mulholland Falls is a 1996 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori and written by Pete Dexter. The drama features Andrew McCarthy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Melanie Griffith, Treat Williams, and John Malkovich.Nolte plays the...
(1996), although this was not received well critically or commercially. This was followed by the successful wilderness film The Edge (1997) and Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
(2002), the twentieth James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movie. He directed numerous episodes of television shows, in particular an episode of The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
.
Tamahori's next film was the sequel to xXx
XXX
XXX may refer to:* The number 30 in Roman numerals* The year 30 AD* Games of the XXX Olympiad, the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England* Super Bowl XXX, held on January 28, 1996* A mark indicating "extra strong"* Alcoholic beverages...
(2002), titled XXX: State of the Union
XXX: State of the Union
xXx: State of the Union, mainly released as xXx²: The Next Level outside the United States and Canada, is a 2005 action-adventure film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is a sequel to the 2002 film xXx...
(2005) starring Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
and Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
; he replaced the original director, Rob Cohen
Rob Cohen
Robert "Rob" Cohen is an American film director, producer and writer.-Early life:Cohen was born in Cornwall, New York. He was raised and spent his childhood in the Town of Newburgh and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1967...
.
His next film was Next (2007), a science fiction action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
based on The Golden Man
The Golden Man
"The Golden Man" is an 11600-word science fiction novelette by Philip K. Dick. It was received by the Scott Meredith Literary Agency on June 24, 1953, and first published in the April 1954 issue of If magazine. The story was illustrated by Kelly Freas in its original publication...
, a short story by Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick
Philip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered...
. The film starred Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
, and Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel
Jessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
.
In 2010 he directed The Devil's Double
The Devil's Double
The Devil's Double is a 2011 drama film directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Dominic Cooper, Philip Quast, Ludivine Sagnier and Raad Rawi. It was released on January 22, 2011 at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was released in limited theaters on July 29, 2011 by Lionsgate and Herrick...
, based on the life of Uday Hussein
Uday Hussein
Uday Saddam Hussein al-Tikriti , was the eldest son of Saddam Hussein from his first wife, Sajida Talfah. He was the brother of Qusay Hussein. Uday was for several years seen as the heir apparent of his father; however, Uday lost his place in the line of succession due to his erratic behavior and...
body-double Latif Yahia
Latif Yahia
Dr. Latif Yahia al-Salihi is an Iraqi born author, blogger, Ph.D in International Law, and former military officer in the Iran-Iraq War. Latif was forcibly recruited to be the body double of Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday Hussein....
and starring Dominic Cooper
Dominic Cooper
Dominic Edward Cooper is an English actor. He has worked in TV, film, theatre and radio, in productions including Mamma Mia!, The Duchess, The History Boys, and The Devil's Double.- Early life :...
. The film was released on 29 July 2011.
Personal life
On 8 January 2006, Tamahori, dressed as a woman, was arrested for allegedly offering an undercover police officer oral sex but convicted only of criminal trespass, having plead no contest in exchange for other charges being dropped.Filmography
- Along Came a SpiderAlong Came a Spider (film)Along Came a Spider is a 2001 American mystery film directed by Lee Tamahori. The screenplay by Marc Moss was adapted from the 1993 novel of the same title by James Patterson, but many of the key plot elements of the book were eliminated...
- Die Another Day
External links
- Lee Tamahori The Hollywood Interview
- Lee Tamahori NZ On Screen biography