Cliff Curtis, a talented individual, was born on July 27, 1968, in the charming city of Rotorua, New Zealand. As a person of New Zealand Maori descent, he has a strong connection to the Ngati Hauiti and Te Arawa tribes. His interest in the performing arts led him to enroll at the New Zealand Drama School and later at the prestigious Teatro Dmitri Scuola in Switzerland.
After completing his education in Europe, Curtis returned to his homeland, where he landed his first significant role in the critically acclaimed film, The Piano, in 1993. His subsequent appearances in New Zealand include notable performances in the camp melodrama Desperate Remedies, the gritty urban drama Once Were Warriors, and the lighthearted comedy Jubilee.
As Curtis's career progressed, he ventured into Hollywood, taking on a diverse range of roles and ethnicities in films. He portrayed a Colombian in Blow, an Arab in Three Kings and The Insider, a Latino in Training Day and Runaway Jury, and a drug dealer of ambiguous ethnicity in Bringing Out the Dead. However, his most iconic role remains that of Porourangi, Paikea's father, in the acclaimed film Whale Rider, released in 2002.
