We've got Tem Morrison and Cliff Curtis. Cliff's still doing good. The phone's busy. He just got a pilot. Why aren't they stopping to look at you? Nice to hear your voice, honey. I miss you. 'Course I miss him when he goes away. Do you need air to breathe? It may feel unfamiliar to you, but it is change that needs to be made. Horse. Horse. Horse. Horse. I'm done with this acting. I believe, as an actor ages, there's a round three, always. They get one more shot. Yeah, kia ora. Temuera. I could call someone and say I've got a 300-page script. 'Wondering if this Maori guy's full of stories. Quite a few bullshit artists in this business.' # Nobody's calling on the telephone. This is a story about me ` Temuera Morrison. Jake the Muss; Jango Fett from Star Wars; Abin Sur ` Green Lantern. I was on every casting agent's speed dial. I had it all ` the cars, the homes, living the Hollywood high life. And then suddenly the phone stopped ringing. The recession hit, and now I'm out of work and running out of time. This is six months in my life as I aim to get my career and life back on track. I'm gonna call him back and say, 'Let me get this right ` you're a Maori; 'you're building a pub in Vegas; and you've got a 300-page movie, 'and you want me to come up there and have a boil-up.' These Maori, sometimes they, you know, get a little bit... Sometimes things get desperate. For too long now, we've been sitting here, waiting for the phone to call, like a typical actor would. Kia ora. Kia ora. Is that you, Dane? Yeah, bro. Yeah, bro. OK, brother. I'm just checking my facts here, OK? I think it's time to` you know, to generate your own work. You're a Maori, right, living in Vegas, and you've got a 300-page script? Scripts always come along. There's a lot of people that have got a story in their head. You meet them every day, every week. 'Got a great movie for you.' And who's the important people you'd like me to meet? DISCORDANT NOTE OK, brother. OK, brother. Ka kite. OK, brother. Ka kite. Ka kite. OK, we'll go to Vegas. OK, we'll go to Vegas. Go to Vegas? OK, we'll go to Vegas. Go to Vegas? I want another contact. Hey, I just treat everybody as a possible executive producer and treat them all with a bit of respect. You never know which one gets picked up. Looks like we're off to Vegas. This Maori ends up being a clown, I'll know straight away. You check their shoes when they turn up, see if they've got any socks on. see if they've got any socks on. (LAUGHS SOFTLY) # Music's playing loud. # Wind blowing in my face. Been to Las Vegas a number of times now. A lot of gambling, of course. Kind of funny that I'm taking a bit of a gamble going there myself. (CHUCKLES) Anyway, got my son here, so it would be nice to give him a look around. OK, son, this could be our lucky break. This could be our producer we're looking for. (CHUCKLES) # Rooftop's down. # Engine's ready to explode. # There's the bright lights of Vegas right there. There's the bright lights of Vegas right there. Vegas. I'm excited. The town never sleeps. ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC Yeah, it was as bit of a whirlwind trip, you know? We only just got there, more or less threw our bags in the room, quickly got changed. We're out on the street, waiting for these guys to turn up. (IMITATES ROCKET) Viva Las Vegas. TENSE MUSIC I was telling James, 'When this guy shows up, check the car. See what sort of car they turn up in. 'Then the second thing you check is check their shoes to see what kind of shoes they're wearing.' Cos I notice with rich, successful people, they have nice shoes, and they're very manicured. Oh, here we go. Look. Oh, here we go. Look. Oh, here he is, here. BLUESY BASS MUSIC Ko koe tena? 'I think the guy had borrowed the brother-in-law's truck.' He jumps out, and he's wearing jandals. Hmm. I don't like the look of this much, son. UPBEAT COUNTRY MUSIC Welcome to Vegas, bro. Welcome to Vegas, bro. Vegas. Yeah, I've been there ` Rotovegas. Just there. This is the real Vegas. This is the real Vegas. This is Las Vegas. This is the real Vegas. This is Las Vegas. Eh? Where the hell are we going? Are we meeting some crazy Maori? You sure you're OK, buddy? 'They drive us out of Las Vegas, about an hour and a half out of town.' Where are we going? We're leaving the lights. ALL CHUCKLE I thought, 'Isn't the Strip and casinos back that way?' There's the Vegas sign right there. I was going, 'Are we going to the ghetto part of Vegas? Where are we going?' 'Nah, it's all good.' Man, I didn't wanna go to the desert. Check the back for a spade. There's no spades in the back. I've seen too many Vegas movies. I've seen too many Vegas movies. < (LAUGHS) I've seen too many Vegas movies. < (LAUGHS) Come on, man. # Give me credit where it's due. # Yeah, bro. Welcome to South Point Casino. So, we turn up at this casino, in my, uh, black Armani suit, and I'm waiting to be taken to this private, fabulous restaurant or something. Oh my God. Look at this place. Restaurant? Well, it's just like the local` the local food court. So I wasn't` To be quite honest, I wasn't that impressed. Uh, but anyway... Cheers, fellas. Cheers, fellas. Welcome to Vegas. I dressed up for the feed. I'm all good to go. Look at this. Dad dressed in his suit, with his jacket on and everything. We turn up, and these guys are all in their T-shirts. I went, 'Oh, here we go.' When I went to Vegas with my agent, Joe, we hung out in Vegas with some very rich people, and that was the way to go. I think our bill came to, like, US$13,000 for our dinner. Order whatever you want, bro. Order off the menu. 'Toasted sandwich, please. Yes.' (INHALES LOUDLY, LAUGHS) So, we'll talk about our stuff tomorrow. We've got a script to show you. Jason wrote the script. This is Jason Fisher. He's a writer-director. I thought you're the driver, you said. And a driver. And a driver. And a driver. Yeah, there was a moment when I started to think, um, 'What have I got myself into here?' Even my son, James, was nudging me. 'Come on, Dad. Let's get outta here. I wanna go see the real Vegas.' Dad was interested in getting a job and making something happen. It just kind of felt a bit too good to be true. At least they picked the tab up, anyway, so... BLUESY PIANO MUSIC # When I play, I play to win. # Doesn't pay to be a loser. # OK, we're in the real Vegas now, son. It's just an exciting town ` great place to visit. Plus it's very nice just being with my son,... Oh, look. That's what I was expecting ` all those crazy lights everywhere. ...getting to know him a bit better. It's really good. You get kind of close when you travel together. You see each other in a different light all the time. This is the land of loopies. This is the land of loopies. (CHUCKLES) I'm going to have another meeting with these guys in the morning. Hopefully they've got something like a script and something a little bit more substantial to show me. We'll see what happens. It'll be nice to get a script that comes through my agent... (CHUCKLES) for a change. Here's your quarter. Make a wish. Here's your quarter. Make a wish. I wish we can go home now. * CHILL-OUT MUSIC I feel like Elvis Presley. I'm in Las Vegas. I'm gonna go see these Maori boys, hook me up with a movie. By the sounds of what they're talking about, we'll need Jim Cameron to film their` their script. Or Spielberg. They` They don't need Temuera Morrison, that's for sure. < KNOCK ON DOOR < KNOCK ON DOOR Oh. I hope that is my son. DOOR CREAKS DOOR CREAKS Have you seen that movie? Which movie? Which movie? The one they shot here, and they wake up and the tiger's in the room. I was starting to think you weren't gonna make it. Here's your protein shake. And I saved you half of the omelette. I didn't wanna order two omelettes ` too expensive. Oh, it's very expensive, eh. Especially in places like Las Vegas. People forget how... Just, it all adds up. You've gotta tip everybody if you want any service. Just to get something, you've gotta flip them 20 bucks or 10 bucks just so you can get a bit of service, so it all adds up. So I'm gonna eat the half of it and count up these fries, make sure I don't eat too many of your ones. And then you sit down here and eat the other half, OK? All right. All right. We're on budget. There's no per diems on this trip. Your turn. When the credit card's on the room and you start booking things up, by the time you've checked out, oh my God, a million dollars later. I'm gonna go meet these guys. I think they coach rugby. Maybe we should just work on a rugby script. The All Blacks come to Vegas, > and Zac Guildford goes out in Vegas, and you can imagine what's gonna happen after that. Never mind. Good people must always just be nice; cordial. That's how you do business. You never know. Could be your next potential dollar. FUNKY MUSIC I'm expecting a whole lot of passion ` a whole lot of passion for their projects. I think I've gotta take a leaf out of my tarot card reader and make some changes. Maybe comedy. Maybe The Temuera Morrison Comedy Hour. Just walking around Vegas meeting these crazy Maoris here is comedy. (CHUCKLES) Hello, bro. How are you? Hello, bro. How are you? I'm good, mate. Good, good. Hmm? Tena koe. Tena koe. Tena koe, brother. Hey, brother. All good. Thanks for last night. Oh, awesome. Oh, awesome. Sweet as. Jeez, it's a bit chilly today. Jeez, it's a bit chilly today. Little chilly in Vegas. Look at this. Look at this. SNEAKY MUSIC There's another camera here. These guys over here, are these your guys? < Yeah, these are` these are` < Yeah, these are` these are` I've got my guys, but you've got your guys. They work with us. Um, they're just doing the background stuff for us to archive and... One minute I had my cameras there, and then, next minute, they brought their cameras along to the meeting as well. So I just thought, 'Ooh. This is a bit weird. 'Who's shooting who here?' So tell me, man, more about your film. So tell me, man, more about your film. Yeah. You know, I might just browse through it over the... You know, I might just browse through it over the... Yeah. Oh! This is a big script, buddy. Oh! This is a big script, buddy. Yeah. The Maori version of Braveheart. SCOTTISH MUSIC Braveheart? > Braveheart? > Yeah. Set in Aotearoa. 1820s to 1840s. And that will be the first film. Well, hang on a minute. We're talking... a Braveheart NZ. Yeah. This is the Maori style. Yeah. This is the Maori style. But this is the Maori`? Yeah. This is the Maori style. But this is the Maori`? HORN HONKS LOUDLY What? So, the main character, Nepia, fighting the British, his uncle dies; his cousin dies and many of his iwi get hit up in` in an attack. He has to` to step up. So that way, they can stand against the British and Mongol. And they're true stories. And they're true stories. And then putting in the creative licence, well, we've got a story that` well, we've got a story that` It's a great idea. well, we've got a story that` It's a great idea. ...can be a great success. What? Who's got the money? Who's got the money? We` We` We` We're looking at a` a few options ` uh, staying on the dole for about 20 years, maybe 40 years, or` the` You've heard of crowd sourcing? You've heard of the term 'crowd sourcing'? It's a new thing, bro, where what projects you're working on, you open it out to the world and ask if the world would like to support it. At the end of the day, you know, they have a dream, but I tend to think they're looking for me to finance their movie and to be in it. They're looking for people who've got a bit of money. Probably talking to the wrong Maori at this stage. CELL PHONE RINGS Babe. Babe. Hi, boo-boo. Hi, babe. Hi. How are you? Hi. How are you? I'm in Las Vegas. Hi. How are you? I'm in Las Vegas. Las Vegas? I'm in Vegas. I'm in Vegas. What you doing in Vegas? Yeah, there were some guys over here that wanted to meet me, and they've got a script, uh, and, uh, got a couple of other ideas. Oh, yeah? I had a meeting with them, but I don't know if anything will come of it. Anyways, I think I'm gonna` Me and James are just gonna jump on the plane. Come home? Oh, yay! Yeah, come home, boo. I miss you. I miss you. Yeah. Love you, boo. I'll call you when I'm at the airport. Yeah, call me when you get to the airport. Yeah, call me when you get to the airport. (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) Oh, yay. I'm excited. OK, boo-boo, see you soon. OK, boo-boo, see you soon. See you soon, honey. Have a safe flight. Bye, darling. OK, bye-bye. OK, bye-bye. See ya, honey. PHONE BEEPS PHONE BEEPS Oh, that's nice. # I've got too much time to waste. # I got to the final... # Vegas. # Well, I went to Las Vegas. # And I went home with no money. # Sometimes it's, kinda, best just to go home; have a bit of a break; let all these people up here in America talk their talk and walk their walk; go home, rethink things. How'd the meeting go, anyway? How'd the meeting go, anyway? Just as you thought it would. I` I keep going to LA in the hope there` there's that big job; there's another big movie there. But it wasn't to be this trip, so... so you just gotta live with that and then, uh, try again. # I'll take you through the storm. # Those rainy days, # those windy moments. # The lonely moments will take you through a storm. # When it's all... # (YAWNS LOUDLY) Hi, boo. Hi, boo. Hi, boo-boo. How are you? How your trip? Mm. Tired. Mm. Tired. Tired? Didn't you have a sleep? I had a little bit of a sleep. Did you`? Did you take your pill? Did you`? Did you take your pill? Yeah, I used my pill, but it took a while to settle in. Oh my God. You want a coffee or something? You want a coffee or something? No, not just yet. Ah, it's always good to have my darling home. Always good to have him home. Well, cos I get really sad when he goes. And then I get annoyed having the relationship through the phone. So when he does come back, it's nice. It's one of my favourite times, so... it's nice. But anyway, cut a long story short, there was no movies, no meetings. But anyway, cut a long story short, there was no movies, no meetings. No? Nothing over there? Quiet? When it doesn't happen, you get a little bit anxious and a little bit ugh! I was kinda hoping, in a way, that it might` you know, there might be something, but, oh... He's a little bit annoyed things aren't really going the way he planned or the way he thought they may. But, oh well, at least he's trying to do something. Um, I guess that's all he really can do. Well, that script sounds kind of cool, though, like,... the Maori... Yeah. Oh, no, it's all there, but I don't think they've got any money just yet, and they had some weird idea of finding the finance, but, oh... I think` I think James had a good time, anyway. He hadn't seen Vegas before. I seem to be getting a lot of scripts with, uh` (LAUGHS) with, uh, no financial backing, so, uh... But, you know, that's what happens. The next script I'll probably get, wherever that comes from, might have a little bit more punch behind it. We should go out for a walk; go out to Blue Lake. I'll put on my shoes. When you're ready. You just got home. I'll put on my shoes. When you're ready. You just got home. Yeah, just get rid of that jetlag. Yeah, we'll go for a walk around the Blue Lake or something. Yeah, something just to get a bit of fresh air. Oh, by the way too, your accountant called. You have to go and see her. FRIGHTENING PIANO MUSIC I already know it's not good news. HIP-HOP MUSIC (COUGHS SOFTLY) Here it goes. Bloody bad news. It's to do with companies and not quite getting on top of things and` and tax issues. Hiya, Tem. I bet you've had better days, eh? I don't know. It's just, kind of, hit me. You know what I mean? I don't know. It's just, kind of, hit me. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. It's been a tough year. The last movie was a flop. I was supposed to get a Green Lantern 2. < Yeah. < Yeah. Nothing` Nothing went right. Well, a few of those years have been tough, but... I'm scared I've chosen the wrong career. Cos it's not a career where you can just get a salary and the pay keeps coming in every week; it's a career where you work, and then there's long periods of unemployment. What we're doing today is liquidating these two companies, and they'll just close these companies down. That will finish that off. Where do I sign? Where do I sign? So... Well, we've got two companies. We've got your Tem Agency, and we've got Morihana Manor. You're the only director, so you're the only one that needs signing. OK. How much of this do you understand, or want to understand? Probably don't want to understand a lot` I've just` I've hit bottom. I've hit the bottom-rock road. Temuera Derek Morrison. PENSIVE MUSIC Yeah. There's a few little things that haven't gone quite right ` couple of bad property investments. But, hey, I'm human. That's you as a director; this is you as the only shareholder. And we'll date and time that in a` in a moment. So what that does is it basically hands the company ` running of it ` over to these two jointly appointed liquidators out of Tauranga. Their job is basically to get whatever assets this company has, turn it into cash to pay whatever creditors there are, and then you, if there's any balance, get the rest of it. It's like giving them the key to your house, and they're responsible for whatever happens to it. You know, we all have, uh, plans and dreams ` run a company and try and do the best ` but, uh,... (SIGHS) What we'll deal with today will take that stress off your shoulders, to be honest. You'll be able to get on with making movies, enjoying life and climbing back out of that hole. Yeah, I know. But still, it's just, you know` It's the` You know, I'm one of these Kiwis that's, you know, trying to make my way in the universe without going on the dole. You know what I mean? Trying. Trying to promote the country, but here I am... < Yup. < Yup. ...in this situation. But it just... I guess, you know, it's that... Well, it's just that pride thing, I guess, eh, bro? Tem's got a lot of self-pride. But he's got a lot of pride in every aspect of his life, really. He's got pride in his family; he's got pride in his work; he's got pride in his home life. He's` He's a very proud man, really. But at the same time, he's a very humble man. Look at why it's come about. It's` You know, it's not your acting. And the reality is that, you know, most of the damage here has been with the lodge, you know. You bought it for a pretty decent sum. Too much. I paid too much. No profits. And, of course, when you sold it right in the middle of the property-depression values, < you took a thrashing ` not just a hiding ` a good thrashing on it. I bought in anticipation that I was going to get... the work from Hollywood was still going to continue the way it was. So right when I put myself in a position of vulnerability, things didn't continue the way it was. I think that's why I bought it though. I wanted a swimming pool, cos I'd seen other fellas on TV had a swimming pool. Kinda looked cool. Mate, your acting skills will survive all this. Thanks. > Thanks. > This is just actually really finishing off a company. Tem? Tem's still alive. Tem can still act. You know, you can still earn income. You can` You can climb back up out of this. Well, when you've got kids, I guess, my fear is not... not leaving them enough to, sort of, help them on their way. I'm scared of not getting another job again. I found this quote. 'Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. 'And then he's so anxious about the future' ` which is me in this film industry, trying to find another movie ` 'that he does not enjoy the present. 'The result: that he does not live in the present or the future. 'He lives as if he's never going to die. And then he dies, having never really lived.' The Dalai Lama. Well, I'm just gonna face reality, mate. Sometimes it's a bit hard, I guess. I guess it's a pride thing, or whatever you call it. I guess it's a pride thing, or whatever you call it. Sure. But that's the worst of it; I can start again. I'm gonna start again, mate. You're still the same person that walked in here five minutes ago, and, you know, it will come right. It's just painful, I guess. I tried. # I got one foot on the pavement... # As long as I learn from this. I'm gonna start again, basically, to be quite honest. OK, then. OK, then. I need a hug just to get me over this pain. Give me a call if you` if you, uh, need` Don't feel bad about this. Yeah. Yeah. Give me a` You've got my number? Yeah. Give me a` You've got my number? Yep. Thanks, bro. Life's about getting up again ` counting our losses and then moving forward to better and greater things, hopefully. Start again. Get back on that horse. Horse. Horse. Horse. Horse. Horse. Horse. Tell 'em I'm handsome, Stan, just like your daddy over there. Tell 'em I'm handsome, Stan, just like your daddy over there. (CHUCKLES) That's where I'm heading these days ` everybody's daddy and then everyone's grandfather. I'm having trouble accepting even the fact that I've hit the age of 50. (GRUNTS) It was a feeling that I haven't felt before, trying to keep up with my son on the bench press. Then all of a sudden, oh my God, I was actually having a heart attack. Able 2018