Lawrence Makoare Biography: Height, Wife, Ethnicity, Net Worth, Age, Awards, Children, Movies
Lawrence Makoare, professionally known as Lawrence Makoare, is a New Zealand Māori actor, stunt performer and woodcarver from Auckland.
He developed a career spanning New Zealand and international cinema, becoming particularly prominent for physically demanding roles in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Die Another Day and The Dead Lands.
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Away from acting, he is also an accomplished traditional and contemporary Māori carver connected to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Name: | Lawrence Makoare |
| Born: | March 20, 1968 (age 58 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Bastion Point, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Nationality: | New Zealander |
| Ethnicity: | Māori |
| Height: | 193 cm |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Mr. and Mrs. Makoare |
| Children: | Sharai Makoare, Hore Makoare, Harley Makoare, Billie Makoare and Jesse Makoare |
| Occupation: | Actor, Stunt Performer, Woodcarver |
| Net Worth: | $5 million |
Early Life and Education
Lawrence Makoare was born on March 20, 1968, at Bastion Point in Auckland, New Zealand. He is Māori and has a strong connection to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
NZ On Screen identifies him specifically as Ngāti Whātua, while cultural records also associate him with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. He was brought up by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Makoare.
He was born and raised in Auckland and developed a strong relationship with Māori culture and traditional arts. At the age of 14, he began learning woodcarving at his home marae in Ōrākei.
Carving eventually became an important part of his life alongside acting, and many years later he became one of the four head carvers of Ngāti Whātua ki Ōrākei.
His cultural background has remained central to his identity. His work as a carver has involved traditional Māori designs as well as contemporary sculpture, and he has participated in sculpture symposiums across New Zealand.
He has also worked collaboratively on commissioned Māori artworks for locations and organisations including Auckland’s Viaduct, Devonport Library, Team New Zealand and the Park Hyatt Auckland.
Little reliable public information has been published about his siblings, so their names are not included. His upbringing, however, clearly maintained a strong connection to his marae, iwi and Māori artistic traditions.
Before entering acting, Makoare worked in road construction. His transition into entertainment happened unexpectedly after he accompanied a girlfriend to a drama class.
His imposing physical presence attracted the attention of the teacher, who encouraged him to perform. He subsequently began working as a stunt performer before developing a career as an actor.
Career
Makoare began his screen career in New Zealand, initially gaining experience as a stunt performer before taking acting roles.
His early screen appearances included Rapa Nui, Xena: Warrior Princess, Young Hercules, Greenstone, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, The Price of Milk and The Feathers of Peace.
His background in physical performance and his exceptional height made him particularly suited to action-oriented roles.
His international breakthrough came when he joined Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings production. In The Fellowship of the Ring, he portrayed Lurtz, the Uruk-hai leader who fights and kills Boromir.
He later returned for The Return of the King, portraying both Gothmog and the Witch-king of Angmar.
The three roles required extensive prosthetics, physical performance and stunt work, and his face was largely concealed beneath makeup and costume.
Makoare subsequently appeared as Mr. Kil in the James Bond film Die Another Day.
He continued working across New Zealand and international productions, including The Māori Merchant of Venice, The Ferryman, L’Oncle Charles, Marco Polo and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
In The Hobbit, he portrayed Bolg, an Orc commander, using physical performance and motion-capture techniques.
One of his most significant dramatic performances came in Toa Fraser’s The Dead Lands in 2014.
He played the Warrior, a formidable Māori fighter who becomes an important figure in a young man’s quest for revenge after his tribe is attacked.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and became a major New Zealand production, while Makoare received a New Zealand Film Award nomination for his performance.
His later screen work has included Occupation: Rainfall, The Convert and Forgive Us All. He has also remained active in Māori cultural and artistic work, particularly woodcarving.
His combination of acting, physical performance and traditional carving has allowed him to maintain a strong connection to Māori storytelling and cultural expression while continuing to work in international entertainment.
Awards and Nominations
- New Zealand Film Awards — Best Supporting Actor nomination for Crooked Earth, 2001
- New Zealand Film Awards — Best Supporting Actor nomination for The Dead Lands, 2014
- The Dead Lands itself received three New Zealand Film Awards, while Makoare’s performance as the Warrior was specifically recognised by the awards.
Social Media
- Instagram: @eraokam
- Facebook: Lawrence Makoare
- Official website: lawrencemakoare.com
Personal Life
Lawrence Makoare, 58 years old, is a married father of five. His children are Sharai, Hore, Harley, Billie and Jesse Makoare. Public sources provide speculations about him being married, so his relationship status is not really confirmed.
Family and Māori culture occupy an important place in Makoare’s life. His connection to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei extends beyond ancestry, as he has actively participated in the preservation and continuation of Māori carving traditions.
He began carving at 14 on his home marae in Ōrākei and later became one of the iwi’s four head carvers.
Woodcarving is one of his strongest personal interests and creative pursuits outside acting. He has worked in wood, Oamaru stone and harder stone, participating in sculpture symposiums around New Zealand.
His commissioned work includes large-scale cultural pieces, including a 30-metre pou unveiled at the Park Hyatt in Auckland. He has also collaborated with other mana whenua carvers on public artworks.
Makoare has described carving as a way of creating traditional and contemporary pieces while sharing knowledge with younger people.
His involvement in mentoring and passing on carving knowledge reflects his interest in keeping Māori artistic traditions active among the next generation.
His cultural work therefore exists alongside, rather than separately from, his career in film.
Physical activity has also been part of his lifestyle. His background in stunt work required considerable physical strength and conditioning, while his personal interests have included rugby, touch football, softball, swimming, fishing and scuba diving.
These interests complement the physical nature of many of the characters he has portrayed.
His size has been an important practical element of his acting career. Standing at approximately 193 cm, he was initially noticed in an acting class partly because of his imposing physical presence.
His physique subsequently helped him secure roles requiring physical authority, combat skills and intimidating screen presence.
Despite playing numerous villains and warriors, Makoare’s interests extend well beyond action entertainment.
His work as a carver demonstrates a quieter artistic side, particularly his interest in Māori visual traditions, sculpture and craftsmanship.
He has travelled around New Zealand for carving projects and symposiums and has collaborated on works designed for public spaces.
Makoare continues to divide his professional life between acting and cultural artistry.
His later screen credits include The Convert in 2023 and Forgive Us All in 2025, while his carving work remains an important part of his connection to his iwi and Auckland community.
Net Worth
Lawrence Makoare’s net worth is $5 million. His income sources include film and television acting, stunt performance, international productions, residuals from major film franchises, appearances and professional work as a Māori woodcarver.
Filmography
- Rapa Nui — Atta — 1994
- What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? — Grunt — 1999
- The Price of Milk — Nephew — 2000
- Crooked Earth — Kahu — 2001
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring — Lurtz — 2001
- The Māori Merchant of Venice — Pirihina o Morako — 2002
- Die Another Day — Mr. Kil — 2002
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King — Witch-king of Angmar / Gothmog — 2003
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug — Bolg — 2013
- The Dead Lands — The Warrior — 2014
- Marco Polo — Za Bing — 2014–2016
- Occupation: Rainfall — Tautara — 2020
- The Convert — Tāmati Waka Nene — 2023
- Forgive Us All — Brooks — 2025
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