Cliff Curtis Biography

Cliff Curtis is a New Zealand actor and film producer who debuted on film in Jane Campion’s The Piano in 1993. He then had his breakthrough with a role in Once Were Warriors, one of the most successful films released on New Zealand screens.

Cliff Curtis Education

Curtis trained at the New Zealand Drama School and Teatro Dimitri Scuola in Switzerland.

Cliff Curtis Career

Curtis began acting in amateur productions of musicals, Fiddler on the Roof and Man of La Mancha with the Kapiti Players and the Mantis Cooperative Theatre Company. Additionally, he worked at several New Zealand theatre companies, Mercury Theatre, Bats Theatre, Downstage, and Centre Point. He has also performed on stage in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Othello, Happy End, The Cherry Orchard, Weeds, Macbeth, Serious Money, Porgy and Bess, and The End of the Golden Weather.

Curtis debuted in a feature film with a minor role in Jane Campion’s The Piano. He then had his breakthrough with a role in Once Were Warriors, one of the most successful films released on New Zealand screens. He played the role of Kahu in the short film Kahu & Maia. Next, he portrayed a seducer in Desperate Remedies. In 2000, he played the role of a family man, Billy Williams, in Jubilee. Next, he starred as the father of the lead role in Whale Rider.

Curtis worked with producer Ainsley Gardiner to launch an independent film production company called Whenua Films. The company aims to support the growth of the New Zealand indigenous film-making scene and profit local short filmmakers. The New Zealand Film Commission chose the pair to run the development and production of films for the Short Films Fund for 2005-2006. They have also produced multiple short films under the new company banner, including Two Cars, One Night and Hawaikii. Two Cars, One Night received a nomination for an Academy Award in 2005.

During the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, Miramax Films secured the US distribution rights for Eagle vs Shark, the first feature film directed by Taika Waititi. Following this, Waititi’s second feature, Boy, produced under Whenua Films, became the highest-grossing film released in New Zealand. Curtis starred in the leading role in The Dark Horse in 2014.

International

Curtis has starred in the films Bringing Out the Dead, Three Kings, Blow, Training Day, Collateral Damage, Live Free or Die Hard, Sunshine, Push, Colombiana, and 10,000 B.C.” He starred as the main villain, Fire Lord Ozai, in  M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender. He starred as Lt. Cortez in Last Knights in 2015 and Jesus Christ in Risen in 2016.

Curtis portrayed daredevil flight medic Reuben “Rabbit” Palchuck in NBC’s Trauma. He joined the cast of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, playing the role of Travis Manawa. In 2017, he was cast as Tonowari in the four sequels to Avatar, including Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Curtis played the role of Jonah Hobbs in  Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw in 2019 opposite Dwayne Johnson. He co-starred with Teagan Croft and Anna Paquin in True Spirit. In 2024, he played the role of the Greek God Poseidon in Netflix’s Kaos. Besides acting, he has worked as a member of the ‘Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ (AMPAS) since 2016.

Cliff Curtis Age

Curtis was born Clifford Vivian Devon Curtis on July 27, 1968, in Rotorua, New Zealand. He is 57 years old as of 2025. Curtis celebrates his birthday on July 27th.

Cliff Curtis Height

Curtis stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 7 inches.

Cliff Curtis Family

Curtis was born to George Curtis and has 8 siblings. His uncle, Toby, works as an educator and leader. Even so, he has managed to keep his personal life away from the limelight; hence, he has not disclosed more about his parents, especially his mother.

Cliff Curtis Wife

Curtis got married in late 2009 in a private ceremony at his home. The couple has four children. He is Roman Catholic. He has not disclosed more information regarding his wife and children away from the public.

Cliff Curtis Net Worth

Curtis has an estimated net worth ranging between $1 million – $5 million, which he has earned through being an actor and film producer.

Cliff Curtis Ethnicity

Curtis is a New Zealander with Maori roots, particularly with Ngati Hauiti and Te Arawa tribal affiliations. Though he’s Maori, he’s only played a Maori in several movies, including Whale Rider in 2002. As an actor, he has acted in a wide range of dark-skinned ethnic roles, including Mexican-Americans, Colombians, Arabs, Persians, and Chechens.

When asked about being an “all-purpose ethnic” actor, Curtis commented that he has found it advantageous since he loves being ethnic and the colour of his skin. Despite the limitations in the business, he says he has had wonderful opportunities.

Cliff Curtis Tattoo

Curtis has a traditional tattoo of a manta ray on his body, a symbol with significance to his home country of New Zealand, also known as Aotearoa. He talked about his tattoo during a 2022 interview about his role in Avatar: The Way of Water.

Cliff Curtis Once Were Warriors

Curts starred as Uncle Bully in Once Were Warriors in 1994. Uncle Bully is the brutal and violent friend of Jake “the Muss” Heke, Grace’s father.

Cliff Curtis Fear the Walking Dead

Curtis joined the cast of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, playing the role of Travis Manawa. He starred in that role from 2015 to 2017 for 21 episodes. A former English teacher, Travis is divorced from his wife, Elizabeth Ortiz, and struggles with the grievances of his troubled son, Chris. After proposing to guidance counselor Madison Clark, he joins her family, including her two children, Nick and Alicia.

Travis is a kind-hearted individual and devoted father who strongly believes that any problem can be resolved. He faces difficult moral challenges amid the zombie apocalypse with a strong belief that civilization will ultimately be rebuilt.

Cliff Curtis Avatar

In 2017, Curtis was cast as Tonowari in the four sequels to Avatar, including Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash. In 2022, he starred as Tonowari in Avatar: The Way of Water and is scheduled to reprise that role in Avatar: Fire and Ash in 2025. Tonowari is the chief of the Metkayina clan and husband of Ronal.

Cliff Curtis Kaos

Curtis portrayed Poseidon in Netflix’s Kaos in 2024 for 8 episodes. Poseidon is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, ruling over the sea, storms, earthquakes, and horses. Kaos explores the conflicts and chaos among the gods, particularly Zeus, who imprisons and torments Prometheus for interfering with his arbitrary and autocratic rule. After escaping from his shackles, Prometheus plans to overthrow Zeus with the help of the prophecy and three mortal humans, Eurydice, Caeneus, and Ariadne.

Cliff Curtis Movies and TV Shows

Curtis has starred in several movies and TV shows during his career, such as

• Chicken
• Deep Rising
• Six Days, Seven Nights
• Three Kings
• Bringing Out the Dead
• Training Day
• Collateral Damage
• Runaway Jury
• Traffic
• Heinous Crime
• Trauma
• The Fountain
• Missing
• Gang Related
• Live Free or Die Hard
• Crossing Over
• A Thousand Words
• Reminiscence
• Meg 2: The Trench
• Invincible
• Swift Street
• Last Breath
• Chief of War