List of Famous people born in New Zealand

Taika David Cohen, known professionally as Taika Waititi, is a New Zealand film and television director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and comedian. He is the recipient of an Academy Award as well as two further nominations. He has also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. His feature films Boy (2010) and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) have each been the top-grossing New Zealand film.

Dame Elizabeth Jane Campion is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. She is the second of five women ever nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the first and only female filmmaker to receive the Palme d'Or, which she received for the acclaimed film The Piano (1993), for which she also won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Among her other directed films An Angel at My Table and Bright Star are the most highly regarded.

Rachin Ravindra is a New Zealand cricketer. Ravindra was born to Indian parents Ravi Krishnamurthy, a software system architect from Bengaluru, and Deepa Krishnamurthy in Wellington, New Zealand. He made his international debut for the New Zealand cricket team in September 2021.

Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie is a New Zealand actress. She rose to prominence and garnered critical acclaim for playing the lead role in Debra Granik's 2018 drama film Leave No Trace. She has also appeared in supporting roles in Jojo Rabbit and True History of the Kelly Gang.

Daniel Preston Hooker is a New Zealand mixed martial artist. He was the King in the Ring Middleweight Kickboxing Champion and WKBF X-Rules Welterweight Champion, and currently competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of January 25, 2021, he is #8 in the UFC lightweight rankings.

Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. First elected to the House of Representatives as a list MP in 2008, she has been the member of Parliament (MP) for Mount Albert since March 2017.

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, known professionally as Lorde, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Taking inspiration from aristocracy for her stage name, she is known for employing unconventional musical styles and introspective songwriting. Lorde's music is primarily electropop and contains elements of subgenres such as dream pop and indie-electro.

Keith Lionel Urban is an New Zealand singer, songwriter, and record producer. In 1991, he released a self-titled debut album, charting four singles in Australia before moving to the United States the following year. He found work as a session guitarist before starting a band known as The Ranch, which recorded one studio album on Capitol Nashville and charted two singles on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Sir Peter Robert Jackson is a New Zealand film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as the director, writer, and producer of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–03) and the Hobbit trilogy (2012–14), both of which are adapted from the novels of the same name by J. R. R. Tolkien. He is the third-highest-grossing film director of all time, his films having made over $6.5 billion worldwide.

Christopher Mark Luxon is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who is currently serving as leader of the National Party and is the Leader of the Opposition. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Botany electorate since the 2020 general election. He was the chief executive officer of Air New Zealand from 2012 to 2019. Luxon also served in Judith Collins' shadow cabinet as Spokesperson for Local Government, Research, Science, Manufacturing and Land Information, as well as being the Associate Spokesperson for Transport. He has been leader since 30 November 2021, succeeding Collins.