Inspired by my other thread (man, am I shameless or what?).
I ask you who are famous Kiwis (New Zealanders) that an American would know?
Kiwi Herman?
Peter Jackson
That loud guy who used to do the Energizer commercials
That guy with the sheep…
OK!
Sir Edmund Hilary, first half of two up MT Everest. Sherper Tensing being the other half. Sir Ed has gone on to build schools and hospitals in Nepal.
A.J Hacker. The re-inventer of bungy jumping. Nabbed the idea of Papua New Guinnean and went on to make it “extreme sport”
Sir Ernest Rutherford. Split the atom.
Hmmm…when he says an American, I think he meant the average American. I didn’t know that. Perhaps a new thread should be “Famous New Zealanders that an American SHOULD know.”
Temuera Morrison who is known by a lot of Star Wars geeks because he played Jango Fett.
Cliff Curtis who gets a lot of Hollywood work playing a Hispanic or Arab.
Lee Tamahori, Director.
So I’ve watched “Once Were Warriors” more than a few times! What’s it to ya?
Well in that case we should take him off our money!
Seems Kiwi from here.
Neil & Tim Finn (of Crowded House and Split Enz).
Anna Paquin.
She of the Piano and X-Men.
Lucy Lawless. ZENA!
Sam Neil (Jurassic Park, The Omen III [or was it IV?])
I know Morrison from Once Were Warriors. And I know Keisha Castle-Hughes from Whale Rider but understand she’s also in the latest Star Wars flick. And of course Cliff Curtis was in Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider, and seems to show up in just about everything. He plays Arabs and Polynesians a lot (Rapa Nui, Three Kings, etc.)
OOOPS
I somehow misread what you you said. In my wee brain you said he wasn’t a Kiwi…I should have been asleep hours ago. I aplogise for my snotty tone.
Richard Pearse was a calm Kiwi 
I’ll try it again in this thread.
John Clarke
[sub]Damn, when is that DVD going to get here?[/sub]
Dame Keri Te Kanawa
New Zealand/Maori hybrid opera diva.
Russell Crowe
Damn, I was gonna say that.
“Born in New Zealand in '64,
a hot-headed actor named Russell Crowe.
He loves making movies but he loves one thing more
Fighting 'Round the World!”
Not already mentioned:
Rachel Hunter, babe
Jane Campion, director of The Piano
David Tua, boxer
P-Money, rap artist (OK, I only know this b/c I visited recently)