Lee Tamahori, iconic James Bond director, dead at 75
Lee Tamahori, the director known for his debut feature Once Were Warriors, as well as the James Bond movie Die Another Day, has passed away at the age of 75.
The news was broken by his family, who told the New Zealand public service broadcaster, RNZ, that he passed away at home after a battle with Parkinson’s disease.
In their statement, they wrote, “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.”
They described him as “a charismatic leader and fierce creative spirit, Lee championed Maori talent both on- and offscreen.”
Tamahori broke out internationally with his 1994 debut, Once Were Warriors. It debuted at Cannes and led the way to his lengthy Hollywood career. It offered a gritty, unflinching depiction of sex, gangs, and domestic violence.
Following this success, he worked on the 1997 film The Edge, as well as the 2002 James Bond picture Die Another Day, featuring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry. He also dabbled in sci-fi, like on the 2007 project Next, featuring Nicholas Cage.
Discussing how he came to shoot the James Bond flic, Tamahori shared in 2002, “My agent called me up one day and said, ‘Would you like to direct a James Bond film?’ And it took me about two seconds to say ‘yes’. I’m a great fan.”
Reflecting on the movie’s legacy, he added, “There are a lot of things in there that people just see as being larger than life and maybe a little over the top. But I was having such a good time, and it was a great thing to live through. I couldn’t stop myself.”
Other film credits include projects like Mulholland Falls (1996), Along Came a Spider (2001) and The Devil’s Double (2011). He also directed episodes of The Sopranos and Billions.
He is survived by his wife, Justine, and his children, Sam, Max, Meka and Tané.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.