Cliff Curtis
Biography
Cliff Curtis, born in Rotorua, is a New Zealand actor and producer who began in theater before making his screen debut in Jane Campion's The Piano (1993). He earned wider attention in Once Were Warriors (1994), and later won four New Zealand Film Awards, including a Best Actor award for Jubilee (2000) and another for The Dark Horse (2014), which also brought an Asia Pacific Screen Award. His international work includes Three Kings (1999), Bringing Out the Dead (1999), Training Day (2001), Whale Rider (2002), Sunshine (2007), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), Colombiana (2011), and Doctor Sleep (2019). He portrayed Travis Manawa on Fear the Walking Dead from 2015 to 2017 and appeared as Tonowari in the Avatar series. Curtis is also co-owner of the New Zealand production company Whenua Films.
58years old
Turns 59 on July 27in 258 days
- Born Rotorua
- Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
- Clifford Vivian Devon Curtis (birth name)
Movie Career
- Films
- 38
- Career span
- 32 years1993 to 2025
Genres
First and latest
Photos
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Own stunts
Curtis learned mau rakau, a traditional Maori martial art using taiaha combat, as a child under elder Mita Mohi on Mokoia Island, and the training shaped his early kapa haka performances.
Own stunts
Curtis took part in breakdancing and rock 'n' roll dance contests before he became a film actor, and in the late 1980s he won national titles in those competitions.
First role
Curtis played a small part in The Piano, Jane Campion's Oscar-nominated film, which was his first feature film role. He then won attention in Once Were Warriors, one of New Zealand's most successful releases.
Behind the camera
In 2004 Curtis and producer Ainsley Gardiner started Whenua Films, an independent film production company. Its goals are to help the New Zealand indigenous film-making scene grow and to support local short filmmakers.
Cliff Curtis movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Live Free or Die Hard2007 Action, Adventure, Thrilleras FBI Deputy Director Miguel Bowman
IMDb rating 7.1438K votes
Most often with
James Cameron directed two of these films, Kevin Reynolds two. Five actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Ray Liotta's page
Jason Statham's page
Zoe Saldana's page
Pete Smith's page
Te Whatanui Skipwith3 films together, 1993 to 1994
Te Whatanui Skipwith's page
John Leguizamo's page
All films by James Cameron
Kevin ReynoldsDirector, 2 films, 1994 to 2016
Also two films together37 more actors
- Allison JanneyA Thousand Words (2012) and Six Days Seven Nights (1998)
- Sigourney WeaverAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Harrison FordCrossing Over (2009) and Six Days Seven Nights (1998)
- Stephen LangAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Djimon HounsouPush (2009) and Deep Rising (1998)
- Hugh JackmanReminiscence (2021) and The Fountain (2006)
- Giovanni RibisiAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Kate WinsletAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Ethan SupleeThe Fountain (2006) and Blow (2001)
- Rachel WeiszThe Fountain (2006) and Runaway Jury (2003)
- Sam WorthingtonAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Chris EvansPush (2009) and Sunshine (2007)
- Anna PaquinTrue Spirit (2023) and The Piano (1993)
- Joel David MooreAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Jemaine ClementAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Temuera MorrisonSix Days Seven Nights (1998) and Once Were Warriors (1994)
- Edie FalcoAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Miguel SandovalCollateral Damage (2002) and Blow (2001)
- CCH PounderAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Jordi MollàColombiana (2011) and Blow (2001)
- Camilla BellePush (2009) and 10,000 BC (2008)
- Nestor SerranoRunaway Jury (2003) and Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
- Raymond CruzCollateral Damage (2002) and Training Day (2001)
- Rachel HouseThe Dark Horse (2014) and Whale Rider (2002)
- Rebecca FergusonReminiscence (2021) and Doctor Sleep (2019)
- Jacqueline ObradorsCrossing Over (2009) and Six Days Seven Nights (1998)
- Rose McIverHercules in the Underworld (1994) and The Piano (1993)
- Page KennedyMeg 2: The Trench (2023) and The Meg (2018)
- Affif Ben BadraColombiana (2011) and 10,000 BC (2008)
- Jack ChampionAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Brendan CowellAvatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- Rawiri ParateneWhale Rider (2002) and Rapa Nui (1994)
- Ian MuneOnce Were Warriors (1994) and The Piano (1993)
- Taungaroa EmileWhale Rider (2002) and Once Were Warriors (1994)
- George HenareOnce Were Warriors (1994) and Rapa Nui (1994)
- Summer BishilThe Last Airbender (2010) and Crossing Over (2009)
- Shuya Sophia CaiMeg 2: The Trench (2023) and The Meg (2018)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Cliff Curtis's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$7.7 billion
35 of the 38 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 38 films: 35 worldwide figure; 2 never in cinemas; 1 figure not found.
- 35Worldwide figure
- 2Never in cinemas
- 1Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 84% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$2.3B30.3% of the total
- 2$1.5B19.3% of the total
- 3$760M9.9% of the total
- 4$531M6.9% of the total
- 5$399M5.2% of the total
- 6$384M5.0% of the total
- 7$320M4.2% of the total
- 8$270M3.5% of the total
$1.2 billionfrom the other 27 films with a worldwide figure, 16% of the total
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.