When a young Temuera Morrison told people he wanted to do with his career, they laughed at him. 

“They giggled because I wanted to be an actor. 'How’s the unemployed actor' [they would ask]”  explains Morrison.

But the snide comments didn’t stop the boy from Rotorua dreaming of one day getting to Hollywood.

“It took time to get in there but I figured out a way. So the people who said ‘how’s the unemployed actor' and laughed at me, I can laugh back at them now.”

Breaking new ground

Since his feature film debut Rangi’s Chase in 1973, Morrison has gone on to become one of Aotearoa’s most successful international actors.

His credits include a host of Star Wars starring and cameo roles - including his own Book of Boba Fett series  - the Aquaman franchise starring Jason Momoa and other DC blockbusters like The Flash and Green Lantern. 

And that’s just overseas. 

His contribution to New Zealand's screen history is nothing short of immense, from his iconic roles like Dr Ropata in Shortland Street and Jake the Muss in Once Were Warriors.

But despite becoming a household name in Aotearoa at the time, Morrison always had to fight to get his foot through the Hollywood door and keep it there.

“[Steven] Spielberg never came to NZ and said ‘Here Temuera Morrison, here's a movie for you, I'm going to put you in my movie’. I went to Hollywood and got myself over there. I walked the streets; I took photos of Dr Ropata. No one knew who the hell he was.” 

It was a brutal reality check for the Māori actor, coming from a place not many Americans could barely point to on a map. After sending in multiple audition tapes and knocking on countless doors, there were times that Morrison questioned whether this industry was for him.

“I cried, I cried and cried” says Morrison who thought, “maybe I needed to do something else.”

But his passion for being in front of the camera and performing kept him going.

“I found something I enjoyed. I got the bug for acting. I thought this was cool, I think I'm going to do this.

“And those were back in the early days when I was being an extra on something, or just had one line on something - but hey, I went through makeup, I went through wardrobe, I stood in front of the camera, not quite sure what I was doing. But I figured it out, and then I said 'I'm going to keep doing this'. Plus they gave me a free lunch.” laughs Morrison.

And that’s exactly what Morrison did. His dedication has seen him share the screen with some of the biggest actors on the planet, including Ewan McGregor, Willem Dafoe, Ryan Reynolds,  Natalie Portman, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L Jackson, Nicole Kidman and Vince Vaughn.

All the while, he's never turned his back on the Aotearoa film sector - adding Ka Whawhai Tonu to his list of local productions.

22 years later, Morrison is still doing what he loves. “I'm still working in Hollywood, the phone's still ringing now.”

Blazing a trail

Morrison’s not just a star, he's a pioneer.

“I started the trend. They saw me as an actor from Shortland Street and then they saw me go to Hollywood - a lot of people followed me after that. They thought ‘Oh, if that Māori Temuera Morrison can do it [I can too].

“Cliff Curtis became an actor; he saw me on Shortland Street and he said I think I'm going to do what that fella does. I think I'm going to become an actor. He went to drama school. He got to Hollywood another way.”

And the trend continued with a host of other actors making their way to Hollywood after starring on Shortland Street including Martin Henderson, Marton Csokas and Karl Urban.

“It was quite scary because I didn't know what the hell I was doing. But that's just what one must do, you've got to give it a go. Sometimes it works. Sometimes through that darkness, sometimes through that fear, a bit of magic happens.”

So, what’s the secret to securing your creative dreams?

“You've got to be tenacious. You've got to have courage; you’ve got to be bold. And you've got to cry." Morrison explains.

“You've got to get into the darkness, because in the darkness you don't know what's there. People are scared, they always sit on the fence. Should I have a go? Or should I just stay in my comfort zone?”

Being out of his comfort zone has created a lot of opportunities for Morrison, so too has being open-minded about listening to the wisdom of others and seeing what works for you.

“You've got to walk with a bit of humility and take in all the knowledge that people are willing to give you, and then go and apply it.

“Each one we come across in our lives offer you pearls but  - whether they work for you or whether they fit on your string or not - it's up to you to accept them or not.”