Temuera Morrison

Temuera blames his failure to make himself a lasting career in Hollywood on his own laziness. He could never manage to learn to speak with an American accent, which very much limited his opportunities in US feature films. Temuera says, " just couldn't master it really," he tells the Star-Times, switching to a mock accent: "I thought I could get away with things. I should have learned the American accent; I couldn't be bothered. In the downtime you should be working your craft, that includes your voice."

Tem grew up in Rotorua, and had seven siblings, one brother and six sisters.

Temuera was one of the celebrity spokesmen for the Child Cancer Foundation's Fight the Monster advertising campaign that got some criticism in New Zealand. Critics objected to the disease being likened to a monster, but the campaign, using animated likenesses of celebrities Morrison, actress Kerre Woodham and radio personality Mikey Havoc brought in more money than previous years.