Wellington-born filmmaker Lee Tamahori, a trailblazing figure in both New Zealand and Hollywood cinema who directed a James Bond film, has died at the age of 75.
According to his family, he passed away peacefully at home after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease some years prior.
The statement reads: ‘His legacy endures with his whānau, his mokopuna, every filmmaker he inspired, every boundary he broke, and every story he told with his genius eye and honest heart. A charismatic leader and fierce creative spirit, Lee championed Māori talent both on and off screen.
‘He ultimately returned home to tell stories grounded in whakapapa and identity, with Mahana and his latest film The Convert, reaffirming his deep connection to Aotearoa. We’ve lost an immense creative spirit.’
His credits include The Edge (1997), Along Came a Spider (2001), and most notably Die Another Day (2002) – the 20th instalment of the James Bond franchise, starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry.
That film grew into a major global spectacle, cementing Tamahori’s status as a director.
Born Warren Lee Tamahori on 17 June 1950 in Wellington, New Zealand, he was of Māori descent through his father and British ancestry via his mother.
After attending Tawa College, Tamahori began his creative journey in photography and commercial art before moving into television and film.
Tamahori’s breakout feature came in 1994 with Once Were Warriors, a raw and unflinching portrayal of urban Māori life, based on the novel by Alan Duff.
The film became a landmark of New Zealand cinema and established his reputation as a director with a fierce creative voice rooted in whakapapa and identity.
Tamahori never lost connection to New Zealand or his Māori heritage and in his later years he returned to his native country to direct films steeped in Māori culture and history.
These include culturally important films such as Mahana (2016) and The Convert (2023).
He’s remembered in New Zealand and worldwide as a powerful cinematic voice who used his experience to open doors for Māori talent both in front of and behind the camera.
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