Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Atea Mahana Clement (born 10 January 1974)[2] is a New Zealand actor, comedian, musician, and filmmaker. He has released several albums with Bret McKenzie as the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, and created a comedy series of the same name for both the BBC and HBO, for which he received six Primetime Emmy nominations.
Jemaine Clement | |
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Clement in 2021 | |
| Born | Jemaine Atea Mahana Clement 10 January 1974 |
| Other names | Hiphopopotamus, J-Dog, Mad Dog[1] |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouse | Miranda Manasiadis (m. 2008) |
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres |
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| Instrument(s) |
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| Labels | Sub Pop |
| Comedy career | |
| Medium |
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He has had featured parts in films such as Eagle vs Shark (2007), Men in Black 3 (2012), People Places Things (2015), Humor Me (2017), The Festival (2018) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022). He has also done voice-work for Despicable Me (2010), Rio (2011), Rio 2 (2014), Moana (2016) and The Lego Batman Movie (2017). In 2014, he made his directorial debut with What We Do in the Shadows, which he also co-wrote, co-directed and co-starred in with Taika Waititi, and later adapted into a show for FX Television series of the same name.
Early life
Clement[3] was born on 10 January 1974 in Masterton in the Wairarapa,[4] and was raised there in a working-class family by his mother and grandmother Maikara with his two brothers.[3][5] Clement is Ngāti Kahungunu through his mother, and a direct descendant of the rangatira Iraia Te Ama-o-te-rangi Te Whaiti, who is his tīpuna as his great-great-great grandfather.[6][7] His Pākehā father, Robert, was employed at the freezing works and struggled with alcoholism, leaving home when Clement was a child. Robert would later become a stained glass artist in Midhurst, Taranaki; Jemaine would later reconnect with his father as an adult and now enjoys a "strong and loving" relationship with him.[8]
Clement’s mother and grandmother were strong influences on him as a child, inspiring his sense of humour.[9] Despite having a strong connection to his Māori ethnicity through visiting relatives regularly on trips to various marae, bans on the Māori language being spoken in schools meant Clement grew up in an almost entirely English-speaking environment. He has talked of his regrets about this and has emotionally spoken of the physical abuse his grandmother suffered at school for speaking te reo Māori.[9]
He attended Makoura College in Masterton. After finishing school he moved to Wellington, where he studied drama and film at Victoria University of Wellington. There he met Taika Waititi, with whom he went on to form So You're a Man and the Humourbeasts. In 2004, the Humourbeasts toured New Zealand in a stage show titled The Untold Tales of Maui,[10] a reworking of the traditional Maori legends of Māui. The duo received New Zealand's highest comedy honour, the Billy T Award. During his time in university, he also met Bret McKenzie, with whom he performed in Edinburgh, thus forming Flight of the Conchords.
Career
Music
Clement and McKenzie have toured internationally and released four CDs: Folk the World Tour in 2002, The Distant Future EP in 2007 (winner of 2008 Grammy for Best Comedy Album), Flight of the Conchords in 2008 and I Told You I Was Freaky in 2009. In 2005 the Conchords produced Flight of the Conchords, a six-part comedy radio programme on BBC Radio 2. They appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show. After appearing in 2005 on HBO's One Night Stand, the Conchords were offered their own 12-part HBO series, Flight of the Conchords, which was based on their earlier BBC radio series of the same name.[11] Its first season ran from June to September 2007, and was renewed for a second season, which aired on HBO in the US from January to March 2009.[12] In December 2009, the Conchords announced the show would not have a third season.[13]
Film and television
Clement has appeared in several feature films. His debut was in the kung fu comedy Tongan Ninja, directed by New Zealander Jason Stutter. He has worked with Stutter on two more movies to date: the low budget ghost comedy Diagnosis: Death and the drama Predicament, based on the book by late New Zealand novelist Ronald Hugh Morrieson. Clement also has a role in American comedy Gentlemen Broncos, directed by Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess. This role landed him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. Though Gentlemen Broncos was almost universally panned by critics, some[14] singled out Clement's performance for praise. In 2010, he voiced Jerry in Despicable Me and appeared in the film Dinner for Schmucks. In 2011, he voiced Nigel in Rio, and in 2012 he appeared as the primary antagonist Boris the Animal in Men in Black 3. In 2012, Jemaine co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in a vampire mockumentary titled What We Do in the Shadows with Taika Waititi. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2014. He also reprised his role as Nigel in Rio 2.
Clement has starred in television commercials internationally and provided voiceovers for many others in New Zealand. On 5 February 2006, Outback Steakhouse began running a series of television commercials starring Clement during Super Bowl XL in which Clement pretends to be Australian and feigns an Australian accent. One of the long-running gags of Flight of the Conchords is the traditional rivalry between New Zealand and Australia and the differences between their accents. The campaign ended in July 2006.
Clement has been involved in award-winning radio work. In 1999, Clement was a Radio Awards Winner as writer for Trashed, for Channel Z, Wellington.[15] In 2000, he was given a Special Radio Awards Commendation for The Sunglass Store.[16]
Besides his television work on Flight of the Conchords, Clement was a writer and cast member of the television shows Skitz and Tellylaughs in New Zealand.[17][18] Clement, with fellow Conchord member Bret McKenzie, guest starred as a pair of camp counselors in "Elementary School Musical", the season premiere of the 22nd season of The Simpsons, which aired on 26 September 2010.[19]
Clement also played the role of a prisoner in a Russian gulag in the 2014 film Muppets Most Wanted, a sequel to The Muppets (2011).
Clement was featured as one of 2008's "100 Sexiest People" in a special edition of the Australian magazine Who.[20] Fellow Conchord member McKenzie appeared on the same list.
In 2015, Clement voiced a "mind-reading fart"[21] on an episode of the Adult Swim animated series Rick and Morty, where he performed the song "Goodbye Moonmen".[22] Clement also starred in the independent film, People Places Things, which received positive reviews.
In 2016, Clement lent his voice to Tamatoa, a giant coconut crab, in the Disney animated film Moana, both in English, and the Māori dub. He based the character's voice on that of David Bowie.[23]
In 2017, Clement played Oliver Bird in the FX TV series Legion. He also voiced Sauron in The Lego Batman Movie.
Personal life
Clement's whānau did not have a car when he was a boy, and as a result he has never learnt to drive.[24] In August 2008, Clement married his longtime girlfriend, theatre actress and playwright Miranda Manasiadis.[25] Their son, Sophocles Iraia, was born in October 2008 in New York City and is named after Manasiadis's Greek great-grandfather Sophocles, and Clement's tipuna Iraia Te Ama-o-te-rangi Te Whaiti.[26][24] They live in Wellington.
Filmography
| Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Blood Suckers | Vampire | Short film |
| 1999 | Fizz[27] | Chased Man | Short film |
| 2002 | Tongan Ninja[28] | Action Fighter (Marvin) | Also writer |
| 2004 | Futile Attraction | Editor | |
| 2007 | Eagle vs Shark | Jarrod | |
| 2009 | Gentlemen Broncos | Ronald Chevalier | Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male |
| Diagnosis: Death | Garfield Olyphant | ||
| 2010 | Despicable Me | Jerry the Minion | Voice cameo |
| Predicament | Spook | ||
| Dinner for Schmucks | Kieran Vollard | ||
| 2011 | Rio | Nigel (voice) | Nominated — Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production |
| 2012 | Men in Black 3 | Boris the Animal | Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain |
| 2014 | What We Do in the Shadows | Vladislav | Also director, writer and co-producer |
| Muppets Most Wanted | Prison King | ||
| Rio 2 | Nigel (voice) | ||
| 2015 | Don Verdean | Boaz | |
| People Places Things | Will Henry | ||
| 2016 | The BFG | The Fleshlumpeater | Voice and motion capture |
| Moana | Tamatoa (voice) | Reprises this role in the 2017 Māori dub of the movie | |
| 2017 | The Lego Batman Movie | Sauron (voice) | |
| Humor Me | Nate Kroll | ||
| Brad's Status | Billy Wearsiter | ||
| 2018 | An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn | Colin Keith Threadener | |
| The Breaker Upperers | Tinder Date | Cameo | |
| The Festival | Robin | ||
| 2019 | Patrick | Dustin | |
| 2020 | I Used to Go Here | David Kirkpatrick | |
| 2022 | Nude Tuesday | Bjorg Rasmussen | |
| Don't Make Me Go | Dale Angelo | ||
| DC League Of Super-Pets | Aquaman (voice) | ||
| Avatar: The Way of Water | Dr. Ian Garvin | ||
| 2024 | Avatar 3 | Post-production | |
| TBA | Wildwood | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Enid Blyton Adventure Series | MIS Guard | Episode: "Circus of Adventures" |
| 2002 | The Tribe | VR Cowboy No. 2 | 1 episode |
| 2007–2009 | Flight of the Conchords | Himself | 22 episodes Also co-creator, writer and executive producer |
| 2008 | The Drinky Crow Show | Alien (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Eric's Tennis Double | Episode: "Tennis" |
| 2010 | Radiradirah | Various | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | The Simpsons | Ethan Ballantyne (voice) | Episode: "Elementary School Musical"[19] |
| 2012 | Napoleon Dynamite | Professor Koontz (voice) | Episode: "Scantronica Love" |
| 2013 | Out There | Babel / Tenebres (voices) | Episode: "Enter Destiny" |
| 2013 | #7DaysLater | Ms. Lockett's Father (voice) | Episode: "Portrait" |
| 2014 | Short Poppies | — | Director |
| 2014–2016 | TripTank | Various (voices) | 7 episodes |
| 2015 | Rick and Morty | Fart (voice) | Episode: "Mortynight Run" |
| 2016 | Regular Show | Ziggy (voice) | Episode: "California King" |
| 2016 | Inside Amy Schumer | DJ | Episode: "Psychopath Test" |
| 2016–2018 | Another Period | Father Black Donahue | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Divorce | Julian Renaut | 6 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | Milo Murphy's Law | Orton Mahlson / Dr. Zone (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | Legion | Oliver Bird | 14 episodes |
| 2017 | American Dad! | Magunga (voice) | Episode: "Bazooka Steve" |
| 2017 | Wrecked | Luther | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Robot Chicken | Narrator (voice) | 1 episode |
| 2018–2022 | Wellington Paranormal | Mobot (voice) | Co-creator, director, writer and executive producer Episode: "Mobot" |
| 2018 | We Bare Bears | Courtney (voice) | Episode: "Rescue Ranger" |
| 2018 | Flight of the Conchords: Live in London | Himself | Special Also writer and producer |
| 2019–present | What We Do in the Shadows | Vladislav | Also co-creator, director, writer and executive producer 2 episodes |
| 2019–present | Kiri and Lou | Lou (voice) | Main role |
| 2019 | Year of the Rabbit | Tall Man | Episode: "Framed Rabbit" |
| 2020 | Steven Universe Future | Kerry Moonbeam (voice) | Episode: "Mr. Universe" |
| 2020–2022 | Tig n' Seek | This Guy (voice) | Main role |
| 2021 | Big Mouth | Simon Sex (voice) | Episode: "Best Friends Make the Best Lovers" |
| 2022 | Human Resources | Episode: "International Creature Convention" | |
| 2023 | Koala Man | Principal Bazwell (voice) | Main role, upcoming series |
| TBA | Time Bandits | — | Co-writer and executive producer, upcoming miniseries |
Discography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Folk the World Tour | Flight of the Conchords |
| 2007 | The Distant Future | Flight of the Conchords |
| 2008 | Flight of the Conchords | Flight of the Conchords |
| 2009 | I Told You I Was Freaky | Flight of the Conchords |
| 2016 | "Shiny" | Moana soundtrack |
| 2018 | ”Goodbye Moonmen” | The Rick and Morty Soundtrack |
| 2019 | Live in London | Flight of the Conchords |
| 2020 | “Mr. Universe” | Steven Universe Future |
Radio
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Flight of the Conchords | Jemaine | Also writer |
| 2016 | The Mysterious Secrets Of Uncle Bertie's Botanarium | Lord Joseph Banks | Podcast |
Awards and nominations
Notes
- ^ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.
References
- ^ Melis, Matt (15 March 2019). "Flight of the Conchords Woo Ladies and More on Hilarious Live in London". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
- ^ "UPI Almanac for Friday, Jan. 10, 2020". United Press International. 10 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
… actor Jemaine Clement in 1974 (age 46)
- ^ a b Bisley, Alexander (2 September 2014). "Interview: Jemaine Clement". The Guardian. from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2018.|quote=...says the actor, whose own middle names Atea and Mahana mean universe and heat. }}
- ^ Mottram, James (14 July 2016). "Jemaine Clement: 'I worry that I'm not taking Hollywood seriously enough'". i. UK: JPIMedia Publications. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
- ^ O'Neal, Sean (30 October 2009). "Interview: Jemaine Clement". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
I'm part Maori. My mum's Maori, and she raised me.
- ^ "Watch: Jemaine Clement on whānau, racism and the NZ public". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ 2 Mar, Moana Maniapoto |; Read, 2021 | 0 | 12 Min (1 March 2021). "Jemaine Clement: 'They're tough here'". E-Tangata. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "Jemaine Clement's father on his family's darkest days". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Jemaine Clement breaks down as he says his kuia would be 'punished' for speaking te reo". Stuff. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "Humourbeasts 'Tales Of Maui" Comes to ChCh". Scoop.co.nz. 17 September 2004. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "BD Rumor Confirmed: Jemaine Clement Becomes 'Yaz' in 'Men in Black III'". Bloody-disgusting.com. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "Story – Entertainment". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2010.[dead link]
- ^ . Flight of the Conchords. Archived from the original on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Nathan Rabin (1 June 2010). "I Watched This On Purpose: Gentlemen Broncos". avclub.com.
- ^ Thomas C Hokenson (24 April 1999). . Radiostationworld.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Thomas C Hokenson. . Radiostationworld.com. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ . gibson.co.nz. Gibson Group. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ "Tellylaughs". gibson.co.nz. Gibson Group. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
- ^ a b Strachan, Alex (2 August 2010). . Canada.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
- ^ "Will Smith Pondering Return in 'Men in Black III'". Bloody-disgusting.com. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Collis, Clark (30 July 2015). "Jemaine Clement voices a 'mind-reading fart' in exclusive Rick and Morty clip". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Dean, Rob (7 August 2015). "Listen to "Goodbye Moonmen" from Rick And Morty in its entirety". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ Lawrence, Derek (20 December 2016). "Jemaine Clement gets crabby in musical Moana clip". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Jemaine Clement: Australians have a great attitude to being made fun of". the Guardian. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "Sorry ladies, the Conchord has flown". 18 August 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
- ^ "Jemaine Clement Welcomes Son Sophocles Iraia". People. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Jemaine Clement". What the Folk!. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "tongan ninja tonga taimi o at". Tonganninja.com. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "Flight of the Conchords". Emmys.com. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ "Flight of the Conchords". Emmys.com. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ "Grammy Award Results for Bret McKenzie". Grammy.com. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ "Conchords miss out on awards". 31 January 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
External links
- Jemaine Clement at IMDb
- NZ on screen profile
- BBC Radio 2