# Famous New Zealanders that an American would know **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562 "2005-05-12T14:46:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/1 "2005-05-12T14:46:40Z")
Inspired by my other [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316136) (man, am I shameless or what?). I ask you who are famous Kiwis (New Zealanders) that an American would know? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/2 "2005-05-12T14:49:30Z")
Kiwi Herman? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/3 "2005-05-12T14:49:43Z")
Peter Jackson That loud guy who used to do the Energizer commercials ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/4 "2005-05-12T14:57:16Z")
That guy with the sheep… ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/5 "2005-05-12T14:58:54Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/6 "2005-05-12T15:02:20Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > 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.” ---
**Author:** ![archmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@archmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/archmichael)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/7 "2005-05-12T15:15:58Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/8 "2005-05-12T15:16:20Z")
Well in that case we should take him off our money! Seems Kiwi from here. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/9 "2005-05-12T15:18:32Z")
[http://nobelprize.org/chemistry/laureates/1908/rutherford-bio.html](http://nobelprize.org/chemistry/laureates/1908/rutherford-bio.html) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/10 "2005-05-12T15:19:23Z")
Neil & Tim Finn (of Crowded House and Split Enz). ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/11 "2005-05-12T15:22:43Z")
Anna Paquin. She of the Piano and X-Men. Lucy Lawless. ZENA! ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/12 "2005-05-12T15:30:59Z")
Sam Neil (_Jurassic Park, The Omen III_ [or was it _IV_?]) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/13 "2005-05-12T15:34:42Z")
> [@archmichael](#): > > 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? 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.) ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/14 "2005-05-12T15:40:59Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > 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.” 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](https://http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/aircraft/Pearse-FlyingMachine/info/info.htm) was a calm Kiwi 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/15 "2005-05-12T15:42:54Z")
[http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/aircraft/Pearse-FlyingMachine/info/info.htm](http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/aircraft/Pearse-FlyingMachine/info/info.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/16 "2005-05-12T16:18:08Z")
I’ll try it again in this thread. John Clarke [sub]Damn, when is that DVD going to get here?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/17 "2005-05-12T16:38:49Z")
Dame Keri Te Kanawa New Zealand/Maori hybrid opera diva. ---
**Author:** ![Iris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a5b964/32.png) [@Iris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/18 "2005-05-12T20:52:32Z")
Russell Crowe ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/19 "2005-05-12T21:12:10Z")
> [@Iris](#): > > 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!” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562/20 "2005-05-12T21:35:10Z")
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) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/famous-new-zealanders-that-an-american-would-know/303562.md?page=2)