Renowned filmmaker Lee Tamahori has passed away at the age of 75 in his New Zealand home. The esteemed director’s family disclosed on Friday to New Zealand’s public broadcasting service that Tamahori had been contending with Parkinson’s disease.

“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,” his family shared with RNZ, painting a picture of the profound impact Tamahori had on both his personal and professional circles.

Tamahori made a lasting mark in Hollywood, most notably through his work on the 2002 James Bond film, “Die Another Day.” Starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry, the film captivated audiences with its thrilling plot where 007 finds himself captured by North Korean forces, enduring a harsh prison term, only to suspect betrayal within his own agency upon his release. The movie also featured notable performances from Rosamund Pike, Judi Dench, and Rick Yune.

Tamahori’s cinematic journey began with an impressive start. His debut feature film, “Once Were Warriors” in 1994, achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. It remains a cornerstone of New Zealand cinema, hailed as one of the finest films to emerge from the country.

The slick film saw 007 captured by North Korean agents and serve a grueling prison sentence. He’s finally released, and is convinced that someone in his own agency betrayed him. Also in the movie were Rosamund Pike, Judi Dench and Rick Yune. 

Famed film director Lee Tamahori has died at the age of 75. The Hollywood stalwart who hailed from New Zealand had been battling Parkinson’s disease

He was best known for directing the 2002 James Bond movie Die Another Day which starred Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry

Tamahori’s feature directorial debut, 1994’s Once Were Warriors, was a widespread critical and commercial success, and is considered one of the greatest New Zealand films ever made. 

He went on to direct the pricey Hollywood drama Mulholland Falls in 1996.

That neo-noir crime thriller film starred Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, and Michael Madsen.

It was about an elite LAPD squad investigating the murder of a woman in 1950s Los Angeles. It leads to a conspiracy that goes high up.

Lee also directed xXx: State of the Union, Next and The Convert. And he directed an episode of The Sopranos and an episode of Billions.

He has a film in post-production: The Emperor starring Adrien Brody.

Tamahori was born in Wellington, New Zealand. He was of Māori ancestry on his father’s side and British on his mother’s.

Tamahori moved into the film industry the late 1970s. 

He found employment as a boom operator for Television New Zealand, and on the feature films Skin Deep, Goodbye Pork Pie, Bad Blood, and Race for the Yankee Zephyr.

In the early 1980s, Tamahori was an assistant director on Utu, and he subsequently worked as first assistant director on The Silent One, Murphy’s The Quiet Earth, Came a Hot Friday, and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.

The director and Sasha at the London premiere of his James Bond movie Die Another Day

From left: Rosamund Pike, Tamahori, Brosnan and Rick Yune at the Sydney Opera House to promote Die Another Day in 2002

He directed Mulholland Falls in 1996, left, with Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith, Jennifer Connelly, Chazz Palminteri, as well as XXX: State Of The Union, right

In 1986, Tamahori co-founded the production company Flying Fish, and made high-profile television commercials.

Then came Once Were Warriors, a gritty depiction of a violent Māori family. 

Tamahori moved to Hollywood and directed Mulholland Falls which was considered a flop.

The Edge (1997), which starred Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin and Elle Macpherson, was a successful survivor tale.

Next was Die Another Day (2002).

He also directed an episode of The Sopranos and the thriller Along Came a Spider (2001) with Monica Potter and Morgan Freeman.

The Edge (1997), which starred Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin and Elle Macpherson, was a successful survivor tale

Tamahori’s next film was the sequel to XXX (2002), titled XXX: State of the Union (2005) with Ice Cube and Samuel L Jackson.

In 2007 he directed Next with Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, and Jessica Biel. 

In 2012, Tamahori started work on Emperor, about a young woman seeking revenge for the execution of her father by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. It shot in 2014 but is still not done,

In 2022, Tamahori directed the historical drama The Convert, starring Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne.

Tamahori was married twice and had two sons, one from each marriage.