'and you've got a 300-page movie, and you want me to come up there and have a boil-up?' Welcome to Vegas, bro. I just treat everybody as a possible executive producer. I'm gonna eat half of the omelette, and then you sit down here and eat the other half, OK? All right. All right. We're on budget. Oh. This is a big script, buddy. Who's got the money? Who's got the money? We're` We're` We're looking at a few options. Um, staying on the dole for about 20 years. How'd the meeting go, anyway? How'd the meeting go, anyway? Just as you thought it would. 'Sometimes it's kinda best just to go home.' I` I keep going to America in the hope there's that big job, there's another big movie there, 'but it wasn't to be, this trip, so fortunate that I've got a movie coming out back in NZ,' Mt Zion. Hey, boo-boo. Hey, boo-boo. Oh, by the way, too, your accountant called. You have to go and see him, I think. This is just finishing off a company. Tem can still act. You can climb back up out of this. 'I've got to start again, to be honest. But 'least I got my house,' got my son, got my daughter, got the whanau. Those things are more important. 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. AMBIENT MUSIC 'I've gotta start all the promo for Zion. I've gotta do all the promo work. It all starts now. 'I've gotta go pump the movie out. Mt Zion, I really relished it.' Wonderful experience for me and wonderful ensemble, wonderful director. Great bunch of boys, lot of laughs. You know, and it's, uh, one of my most mature roles. I just hope it does well at the box office. We don't see it until the premiere, so... There is a little bit of nervousness, I guess, but more so, a little bit more exciting. FUNKY MUSIC Now we're just promoting the film, and we're gonna be in all the magazines and the papers, hopefully. And hopefully the NZ public pick up on it. I was just proud to be part of it ` proud that the director said, 'Yep, Tem, I want you to be the old man.' Now this is probably your first role as playing the, you know, quite a... Now this is probably your first role as playing the, you know, quite a... Mature role. ...a mature role. ...a mature role. Yes. That's where I'm heading these days. Everybody's daddy, and then everyone's grandfather. Everybody's daddy, and then everyone's grandfather. BOTH LAUGH 'I'm still coming to terms with getting old. 'I remember when I used to do interviews for Shortland Street and other things.' I always told all the reporters I was 24. And then I kinda moved to 26. But then, after 20 years, I was still saying I was 26, and I was in my 30s, I was really 36. You know, we talked about a bit of a back story... 'I always thought, "Well, I play a young doctor, then you play a middle-aged doctor, '"and then you play the old doctor, then you play the very old doctor."' But sometimes they don't want a old doctor, they just want a young doctor. So I'm gonna make a new TV show called Old Doctors. 'That's it. That's the new TV drama. The Young and the Restless is over.' The Old in the Rest Homes... ROOSTER CROWS ROOSTER CROWS IN DISTANCE COUNTRY MUSIC What do you think about this shirt? What do you think about this shirt? I like the shirt. Looks like you're in your 20s. Or your 30s. Looks like you're in your 20s. Or your 30s. (LAUGHS) I think this one's kinda cool, cos does look a bit more farmy kind of. I think this one's kinda cool, cos does look a bit more farmy kind of. Oh, that looks way better. You should wear that one instead of that blue one. If you wear that one, I'll wear this one. I reckon you should wear that World one. That T-shirt? That T-shirt? Yeah. Oh, but I wanna, like` I wanna be like him. 'Temuera Morrison. Jake the Muss.' He's a Kiwi icon. Don't be like me, boy. You'll never be like me. You just be like you. See, if you wear that one, I can wear this one. See, if you wear that one, I can wear this one. No more trying to be somebody else. The first time I met him, it was a bit intimidating. I walked in the room and he` he kinda` I think he purposefully tried to be intimidating. And, um, I was, like, 'Oh, jeez.' I didn't know what to say. I was, like, 'Kia ora.' And he goes, 'Kia ora,' very staunch. And I was, like, 'Oh, Jeez ` Jake the Muss. Whoa.' I'll just have a try of your shirt. Just in case it might look good on me. I'll just try it on for you. I'll just try it on for you. All those shirts there, and you gotta wear my shirt. I rang my mum, and I go, '(WHISPERS) Mum, guess who's here.' I was, like, 'Guess who could be my dad in the film. Temuera Morrison.' She goes, 'No way. Take a photo of him, take a photo.' 'Oh, yeah!' Like, I was ge` getting my thrills. Ooh, Temeringa. Just let all the office know that I'm available for the Hawaiian Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, the Beijing Film Festival. Any film festival, except the one in NZ. Any film festival, except the one in NZ. ALL LAUGH OK? Let the office know. He's the man. He's honestly one of the funniest ma` um, guys I've ever met. Um, I think he could have his own comedy show. You know, in Hawaii, I was always wondering, 'Is it Hawaii or Havaii?' And I saw this old kaumatua down on Waikiki. And I said, 'Eh, koro. Can you explain, is it Hawaii or Havaii?' He said, 'Havaii.' I went, 'Thank you very much.' He went, 'You're velcome.' (LAUGHS) Shall I leave the jokes to somebody else? Shall I leave the jokes to somebody else? Um... (LAUGHS) Oh. Good to go, OK, guys. (SINGS) Wanna listen to my story 'bout a man named ??? (SINGS) Wanna listen to my story 'bout a man named ??? ALL LAUGH The Beverly Hillbillies. I watched that the other day. I watched that the other day. Cool programme, man. Black and white. They must be all dead, eh? If it's in black and white, they gotta be dead, eh. (CHUCKLES) Old poppa Tem. He actually believes in himself that he's, like` he must be just maybe 30 or something. 'Hey, I'm not getting old.' (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) Oh, so I can't look at Stan. (LAUGHS) Oh, so I can't look at Stan. (LAUGHS) Gonna call him koro soon. 'Oh, young fellas think they're taking over everything.' You kinda sorta notice when all the younger ones go, 'Oh, kia ora, matua.' You kinda get these words, especially in Maori, that kinda elevate you to a status of, uh, you know, knocking on the kaumatua status now. So I think that's... That's where we all head. That's where we're all heading. Try and look handsome, Stan. Try and look handsome, all right? Just like your daddy over here. Just like your daddy over here. (CHUCKLES) Who's your daddy? I mean, he's such an inspiring fulla, even though he laughs and makes us laugh. Warm it up, warm it up. I'll show you how to warm it up. Warm it up, warm it up. I'll show you how to warm it up. (LAUGHS) But not too much. He's a legend of a actor, a role model for me, for Maori people, for NZ. And, um... Like, I can kinda die happy saying that I was in a movie with Temuera Morrison. FUNKY MUSIC # Give me credit where it's due. # Show me the money or it won't do... # We're coming back here to get ready, right? We're coming back here to get ready, right? Yeah. I gotta get a suit. I gotta get a suit. I gotta get a hair appointment. 'I just hope Mt Zion does well at the box office.' It's not gonna solve my financial problems, but it's` it's work again. We get picked up here from what time? 4... 15. Remind me to pay my power and my telephone. The Vodafone people ringing me up again. The Vodafone people ringing me up again. Are they? Money-wise, like, there's no point in masking the truth when we're by ourselves in our private space, where he doesn't pretend things` everything's OK. Put it on prepaid. It's funny, when you make a movie sometimes you get paid for making that movie, the movie takes 6 to 10 to 12 weeks to make it. Bam. You finish the movie. Then it takes a year, then it comes out. But in that year, I've actually sometimes done nothing. So by the time the movie comes out, everybody thinks you're rolling in it, but you've actually had a year of unemployment. < Got our tickets? Where's those other two? Where's those other two? Greg, > me and you, > Pete. And Rod and Jojo can't make it. Did you call Cliff? Cliff hasn't replied, but he's gonna go see it with his daughter, I think. So, he said that's what he was likely gonna do. 'Cliff and I, well, him and I go way back. We just go way, way back. I love Cliff. He's very generous.' My chest rises with a bit of pride also, when he says` he tells me, uh, he saw me on Shortland Street, this skinny, curly-haired Maori, and he said to himself, way back then, 'I wanna be like that guy.' You're not coming up, eh? You're coming up? No. You're coming up? No. No, I'm not coming up there. OK, just double checking. I can give that ticket away, OK? Oh yeah. Never mind. OK, yeah, thanks, buddy. Just letting` Just double checking. It's funny, Cliff and I went to Hollywood together, in a movie called Six Days, Seven Nights. And, uh, I remember we were doing this one scene on` we were pirates on a rubber dinghy, trying to catch Harrison Ford. And we were zooming into the beach, and, actually, the Kiwi guy was the stunt driver. I said, 'Go faster, man, faster!' thinking our rubber dinghy will smooth up on` you know, just ease up on to the beach. Well, I pushed down his accelerator, we were hooning away, and I suddenly saw the beach, and the beach kinda went up like this... And our rubber dinghy just went... Just stopped all of a sudden, and I managed to dig my feet in. I looked up over here and I saw Cliff Curtis, with his dreadlocks and his long, stretched out, skinny frame, flying through the air. Bang. It just` It looked so funny, eh. It was like watching Super Maori flying through the air. But then even the way he landed, he sort of did a summersault, come up with his machine gun, and... I started laughing my head off, and the director said, 'Cut, cut. Tem, you're laughing. 'What's going on?' I said, 'Oh, buddy, I was just watching Super Maori.' Thanks very much, bro. Thanks very much, bro. PHONE: Have a good night. Have a good night, bro. Thank you very much, mate. Lovely. Lovely. Ka pai. Chur, bro. Chur. See ya. DRAMATIC MUSIC Cliff Curtis. Cliff Curtis. Producer, actor... Super Maori. FUNKY MUSIC Ooh, it's perfect. FUNKY MUSIC CONTINUES SMOOTH MUSIC Oosh. Oocha. Hollywood in South Auckland tonight. Mt Zion! It's nice to go to the gym, have a bit of a workout, bit of a pump up, get the blood flowing again. 'Get ready for the NZ premiere of Mt Zion.' Not quite at Hollywood, but at the Manukau shopping centre. We're gonna put the red carpet out in Manukau and turn up in two flash, red Holdens. Oh, who's first? Let's go. Show me what you're made of. Oh, who's first? Let's go. Show me what you're made of. You choose a weight. Pick the heaviest one. My son thinks he can` he can out-bench me, so I've still gotta put him in his place. Hey, those are too big for you, aren't they? You can't lift those up. You can't lift those up, son. Shall I ring the lady out there to help you? Physically, Dad's still fine, like, we still go to the gym and have a bit of a competition and stuff. Ooh! Sh` Ah. Argh. Hang on. You're gonna have to help me lift it up. Argh. Pass the other one. What's with all these sound effects? Ugh. I think you might've got me here. I think you might have me. 'I think he still thinks he's young. Not that he's old.' (MAKES STRAINING NOISE) 'I've talked to him a few times, and he's said, "Oh yeah, I gotta think about things."' He mentioned Auntie Taini, my auntie that had a, like` a seizure or heart attack. That's on the back of his mind, I think, but also, I think he's still, 'I'm still` I've still got plenty of life to go, I'm still ready to do stuff.' I think you might have me, son. Ooh. 'To be quite honest, James is getting a bit strong now, so...' I've got my work cut out sometimes, showing these young fullas what's it all about. (GROANS) 'I'm not 26 any more.' (PANTS) OK. OK. ROCK MUSIC ASHLEE: You better hurry up. We're nearly late. Yeah, I know. Oh, you look good. Yeah, I know. Oh, you look good. Oh, thanks. You don't. Yeah, I know, but I will. Better be quick. Give me one minute. I'll be looking real good. Give me one minute. I'll be looking real good. You can have four. Just gotta whisk the sh` suit on, then we're off. < Are you nervous, boo? < Are you nervous? 'Well, it's always kind of, uh, nervous, the premiere.' Cos while you're filming, you're keeping a lid on it. It's, like, 'We got some good stuff today.' 'Yeah, we do.' 'Yes, we've got some good stuff. Don't` Don't say too much. 'It might, you know, kinda put a bogey on it.' What is the time? 4.28. 4.28. Tickets? > You've got those. 'I know some of the spirit we had making this film snuck into the camera.' OK, we're all good to go? I know this cos I haven't had these feelings since Once Were Warriors. That was long long time ago. SNAZZY MUSIC 'Hi, Gus. How are you? 'All good?' Get out my door, brother. ASHLEE: 'Most people` Tem, they get star-struck over him straight away.' Hello, everybody. 'I guess the fame` it comes with the territory. 'It's a story he always tells me about. 'Before he first started getting into acting, and he was working for the Ministry of Maori Affairs,' and he would tell me that he's walking down the street, looking in the windows and at his reflection, pretending he's an actor, and there's all these cameras on him. WOMAN: (YELLS) Oh! So, that was him dreaming and dreaming big. And it` it come true because he's got a strong mind and a strong will, and he made it happen. Quinton has said that you didn't have to take part in the pre-production rehearsals, but you chose to anyway. Why was that? Well, um, I always like to get involved. I actually started getting ready for the film at home quite early, and it's always good to go in early to the pre-production, uh, say some of the dialogue, get involved with the casting and, uh, all of that. It just helps you out, so when you come to doing the filming and the camera, you're a bit more relaxed. 'Sometimes I end up taking over or think I'm directing.' Maybe I'm one of those actors who likes to think he's directing or taking over. And it was through Mt Zion and the little bits I was helping out that I could sense I was enjoying my days when I was behind the camera ` 'hanging around, making tea, getting them working.' It actually made me confirm` The big thing about Mt Zion was it made me confirm that, yes, I want to start getting into another directing field now, so... This role is, uh, closer to your own experiences and life than some of your Hollywood roles. Is that easier or harder to play? This was wonderful. It gave me a chance to go back to my mum's side. They're from a farm ` Hangatiki ` Maniapoto side ` and rural, and so I was a little boy on my grandad's, uh, tractor, you know, driving it. So it gave me a chance to go back to that side, that time. It was just... ASHLEE: 'Tem's very charming. I mean, everyone knows Temuera Morrison.' And then you're kinda getting bombarded from people, and... I guess it gets a little bit annoying, but it comes with the territory. Um, he was Temuera Morrison before` long before I met him. With this film I really learnt so much. I felt I wasn't acting, I just felt I was being the character. That's how I felt. We'll see what the audience and the reviews say. Looking good, son. Looking good, son. Eh? Looking good, son. Eh? Looking good there. FUNKY MUSIC It's the best movie. The best one I ever made yet. 'I haven't seen Mt Zion yet, but the production went quite smooth.' With a low budget, whole lot of Maoris working together, lot of humour, I know it's gonna be magic. Temuera! Hello! Gonna come over. I'll come over, say hello. 'I'm looking forward to everyone seeing it, and I can take the kids to watch this film for a change.' I'm proud that Tearepa chose me to be part of this taonga. I mean that. I feel it's gonna be magic, but I` I haven't celebrated. Haven't celebrated until I see it. SMOOTH MUSIC MAN YELLS INDISTINCTLY 'I love this film ` beautiful film, beautiful film. 'And it's about other things that us Maori are all about ` aroha, koha.' DAD: I'll cut to the chase. Young mister tried to call some outside help in. What'd you say, eh, Pa? Well, you know what I said. Another 10 days straight? < Ae ra. 'I think I actually done some of my best work there because I realised, for the first time,' in terms of my work, I` I` I felt I wasn't acting. I was turning up and just being the character. ASHLEE: 'He comes in with his old wife. (LAUGHS)' I've never pictured him with a older lady before, so it looked quite weird to me, and it was funny. Ko kaumatua, ne? '(LAUGHS) And she's rubbing his arm, and she makes a comment to him, "Oh, you're a koroheke, aren't you?"' And it's so funny cos in real life, like, in everyday life, he looks a lot younger than what he actually is. And he did do a fantastic job of that movie. I honestly did think he was old. (LAUGHS) TECHNO MUSIC 'I'm still comprehending it, but, still, man, blew me away. The best one I've done yet.' I can honestly say that. 'We` We had the screening, then we all had a few little, uh, drinks afterwards,' talk about ourselves and give each other a pat on the back and say, 'You did great, and you did great, and you did great, and...' Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. 'And then all of a sudden, oh, I started getting the hot and cold flushes. 'I'd never felt like this before. Boy, I was having a turn. 'One of the ladies was yelling out to me. I could hear her, '"Tem, you all right?" And I'm sorta just going, "Whoa." 'This horrible... horrible sensation.' FOREBODING MUSIC Hot and cold, hot and cold, but this was like a pain I` It was like` I hadn't felt before, so... 'I had a very very busy week with all the, uh, promotions and running round here, running round there, 'and then still trying to work out, keep up with my son on the bench press. 'I was rewinding everything and sometimes things can just hit, so, '"Oh my God. I am actually having a heart attack."' COUNTRY MUSIC I turn around, and the security's telling me, 'Your partner's outside. He's sick. No, he's really sick.' 'Probably crawled into a cave for a while and just curled up.' I know people will look at me and go, 'You're so young and pretty. 'You'll move on straight away.' But it's not like that. Especially when you love somebody.