Famous New Zealanders range from Oscar winners and pop stars to the broadcasters Kiwis hear every morning, and this list brings them together by field, with the latest verified news on each as of October 2026. It starts with the names people search for most right now, moves through actors, musicians, sport stars and TV faces, and ends with the historic figures printed on the money in your wallet.
Lorde turns 30 next month, Stan Walker turns 36 next week, and Taika Waititi has a new film in New Zealand cinemas from 22 October. Those three alone explain why so many people are asking who the most famous Kiwis are right now. The list grows as we profile more people, so check back.
Famous New Zealand actors and filmmakers
- Taika Waititi is the director of Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Jojo Rabbit, which won him the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay. His new film Klara and the Sun opens in New Zealand on 22 October 2026, and our guide to Taika Waititi’s movies covers every feature he has directed.
- Robyn Malcolm grew up in Ashburton and became a household name as Cheryl West in Outrageous Fortune. She was 61 as of September 2026, and her partner is Scottish actor Peter Mullan.
- Rose Matafeo is the Auckland comedian and actor who created and starred in the BBC series Starstruck. Her parents are John Matafeo and Diane Vuletich.
- Russell Crowe was born in Strathmore Park, Wellington, on 7 April 1964 and moved to Sydney with his family at the age of four. He won the best actor Oscar for Gladiator.
Famous New Zealand singers and musicians
- Lorde, born Ella Yelich-O’Connor and raised on Auckland’s North Shore, is 29 and turns 30 on 7 November 2026. Her 2026 touring year closed at Austin City Limits, and her tour dates are all in one place.
- Stan Walker turns 36 on 23 October 2026, in the middle of A Symphonic Experience, his shows with a 30-piece orchestra in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington.
- Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement are Flight of the Conchords, who play eight New Zealand shows in November 2026. Four of them sold out within minutes.
- Home Brew are playing their 2008 EP Last Week in full around the country until 22 November 2026.
- LEAO won the 2026 Silver Scroll Awards with LALELEI, the first winning song sung entirely in Gagana Samoa.
Famous New Zealand sports stars
- Jonah Lomu remains the All Black the world remembers. He died in 2015 at the age of 40, and a documentary about him, LOMU, came out in 2026.
- Liam Lawson is New Zealand’s Formula 1 driver. As of 12 October 2026 he was ninth in the drivers’ standings after scoring 10 points in Singapore.
- Black Caps batter Martin Guptill is married to Sky Sport presenter Laura McGoldrick. They met during her second interview for Sky.
- Jenny-May Clarkson played netball for the Silver Ferns before she became a broadcaster.
Famous NZ TV presenters and radio hosts
News and current affairs
- Melissa Stokes took over 1News at Six from Simon Dallow in November 2025.
- Jack Tame is a TVNZ presenter. He married fellow TVNZ journalist Mava Moayyed in 2023.
- Ali Pugh filled in on TVNZ Breakfast in 2026 and is back reporting for 1News in Christchurch.
- Jenny-May Clarkson signed off Breakfast in November 2025 and hosted TVNZ’s coverage of the Winter Paralympics in March 2026.
Seven Sharp and light entertainment
- Hilary Barry turns 57 in December and has worked in broadcasting for three decades, from Wairarapa radio to Seven Sharp.
- Jeremy Wells co-hosts Seven Sharp and Radio Hauraki’s breakfast show and presents Taskmaster NZ. He turns 50 in January.
- Hayley Sproull is a comedian and TV presenter who has turned being single after a 15-year relationship into comedy.
Radio
- Mike Hosking hosts breakfast on Newstalk ZB. He is married to Kate Hawkesby, who still joins him on Fridays.
- Simon Barnett is back on More FM, and he was a contestant on Celebrity Treasure Island 2026.
Famous New Zealand chefs
Nadia Lim won MasterChef New Zealand in 2011 and co-founded My Food Bag. She now farms Royalburn Station near Arrowtown with her husband Carlos Bagrie and their three sons. A year after Lim, Chelsea Winter won the 2012 series. Her latest cookbook, Nourish, came out in October 2025, and she now lives in Taranaki.
Famous New Zealanders in history
New Zealand puts its best-known historic figures on its money. Every name below appears on the current series of New Zealand banknotes.
| Banknote | Person | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | Sir Edmund Hillary | With Tenzing Norgay, the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 |
| $10 | Kate Sheppard | Leader of the campaign that made New Zealand the first country where women won the vote, in 1893 |
| $50 | Sir Āpirana Ngata | Ngāti Porou leader, lawyer and politician, and a champion of Māori language and culture |
| $100 | Ernest Rutherford | Nelson-born physicist and winner of the 1908 Nobel Prize in Chemistry |
Hillary was the only living person other than a monarch to appear on a New Zealand banknote during his lifetime.
Famous New Zealanders claimed by Australia
The trans-Tasman tug of war is a national sport of its own. Russell Crowe is often taken for an Australian because he grew up in Sydney. The racehorse Phar Lap is the classic case: he was foaled at Seadown, near Timaru, in 1926. His skeleton is at Te Papa in Wellington, while his heart is in Canberra and his hide is in Melbourne.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the most famous New Zealander?
There is no official ranking. Sir Edmund Hillary is the usual answer for history, because of Everest and the $5 note. Among famous New Zealanders alive today, Lorde, Taika Waititi and Russell Crowe have the widest global reach.
Which famous New Zealanders have died?
Jonah Lomu died in 2015 at the age of 40. Sir Edmund Hillary, Kate Sheppard, Sir Āpirana Ngata and Ernest Rutherford are among the historic figures on New Zealand’s banknotes.
Who are the most famous New Zealand actors?
Taika Waititi, Russell Crowe, Robyn Malcolm and Rose Matafeo are among the best known. Waititi and Crowe have both won Oscars.
Who are famous New Zealand female celebrities?
Lorde, Robyn Malcolm, Rose Matafeo, Hilary Barry, Nadia Lim, Melissa Stokes and Kate Sheppard all appear on this list.
How often is this list updated?
We add a famous New Zealander here every time trending.nz publishes a new profile, and we update ages and news as they change.
