Cliff Curtis

Actor

Cliff Curtis, born on July 27, 1968, in Rotorua, New Zealand, is a renowned actor and producer of Maori descent. After making his film debut in The Piano (1993, directed by Jane Campion), he became known for his roles in Once Were Warriors (1994, directed by Lee Tamahori) and Desperate Remedies (1993), which earned him his first New Zealand Film Awards. He also received multiple awards for his role as Paikea's father in WHALE RIDER (2002, directed by Niki Caro). He gained international recognition through appearances in Three Kings (1999, directed by David O. Russell), Training Day (2001, directed by Antoine Fuqua), Collateral Damage (2002, directed by Andrew Davis) and Sunshine (2007, directed by Danny Boyle). More recently, he starred in The Meg (2018, directed by Jon Turteltaub), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022, directed by James Cameron) and The Meg 2: The Trench (2023, directed by Ben Wheatley), as well as in the television series Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2017) as the main character Travis Manawa. Cliff Curtis is known for his versatility and takes on roles with cultural depth and international appeal. With Whale Rider, he remains strongly connected to his Maori identity on film.