Cliff Curtis

Personal context

Summary

Cliff Curtis is a New Zealand actor and producer known for Once Were Warriors, Whale Rider, The Dark Horse, Fear the Walking Dead, and the Avatar films. His work spans international genre roles and Māori-centered stories, with recurring themes of family, community, and cultural identity. He has said he seeks stories that reflect Māori culture and give Indigenous communities a voice, and has produced work to empower Māori storytellers; he has also spoken about supporting women filmmakers and telling stories about gendered power. No public party campaigning or affiliation with DEI organizations is on record.