Lee Tamahori Passes Away, James Bond Director Was 75

Lee Tamahori, the acclaimed director behind 1994’s Once Were Warriors and the 2002 James Bond movie Die Another Day, has passed away at the age of 75.

Tamahori’s family shared the news of his passing on social media. The director died at home, surrounding by his loved ones, following a battle with Parkinson’s disease. In a statement on his passing to New Zealand’s RNZ, his family reflected on Tamahori’s legacy in film, as well as the effect that he had on filmmaking in New Zealand.

“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. A charismatic leader and fierce creative spirit, Lee championed Māori talent both on and off screen,” reads their statement.

Tamahori was born in 1950, in Wllington, New Zealand, and was of Māori ancestry on his father’s side and British on his mother’s side. In the 1970s, Tamahori moved into the film industry, and worked as a crew member on various projects. His first directorial debut came in 1994, when he directed Once Were Warriors, a film that told the story of a Māori family and their issues with poverty, gambling, drugs, and other addictions.

The film was a smash hit. It became the highest-grossing film of all-time in New Zealand and found success overseas as well. Tamahori moved to Hollywood shortly after and would direct a number of films, including 1996’s Mulholland Falls, 1997’s The Edge, and 2001’s Along Came a Spider. In 2002, Tamahori directed the James Bond film Die Another Day, which was the most successful James Bond film made up until that point.

Tamahori’s final directorial effort was 2023’s The Convert. He was working on a film, The Emperor, that is slated for 2026, though it’s unclear what the status of the project is. ComingSoon sends its condolences to Tamahori’s family.

Source: Comingsoon.net