New Zealander Female Film & Theater Personalities

Anna Paquin is a New Zealand-Canadian actress. She started her career as a child actress and became the second-youngest winner in the history of the Academy Awards when she won an Oscar at the age of 11 under the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance as Flora McGrath in Jane Campion's 1993 period drama film The Piano.

Lucy Lawless is a New Zealand singer and actress best known for her portrayal of Xena in the popular TV series Xena: Warrior Princess. She is also known for playing Lucretia in Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which earned her the 2010 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television. Lucy Lawless is also involved in charity work.

Melanie Lynskey is a New Zealand actress best known for her portrayal of Rose in the popular American sitcom Two and a Half Men. Over the years, she has won several prestigious awards such as a Critics' Choice Award, Hollywood Film Award, and Gracie Award.

Thomasin McKenzie is a New Zealand actress best known for playing Tom in the 2018 American film, Leave No Trace. Her performance earned her the National Board of Review Award under the Breakthrough Performance category. Thomasin McKenzie was also honored by the Seattle Film Critics Society with the Best Youth Performance award in 2019 for her performance in Jojo Rabbit.

New Zealand model and actress, Rachel Hunter, is best known as the host of the TV show Rachel Hunter's Tour of Beauty. Pretty and confident as a young girl, she began modeling as a teenager. She has worked with Cover Girl cosmetics and has been featured on several magazine covers, including Vogue, Elle, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, and Playboy. 

Zoë Bell is a New Zealand actress and stuntwoman. She is best known for her stunt work in films like Kill Bill and Xena: Warrior Princess where she doubled for Uma Thurman and Lucy Lawless respectively. Zoë Bell is the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as World Stunt Awards and Women in Film and Television New Zealand Award.

Kerry Bishé is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Donna Clark in the period drama TV series, Halt and Catch Fire. After being born in New Zealand, Kerry Bishé moved to the United States, where she established herself in the entertainment industry, appearing in films like Argo, for which she received the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award.

South African-born New Zealand actor Lesley-Ann Brandt was first noticed for her performance as Naevia in the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. She later soared to fame as the Vertigo/DC Comics character Mazikeen in the hit Netflix series Lucifer. She has also appeared in a couple of music videos.

In 1993, Jane Campion became the first female filmmaker to be honored with the Palme d'Or for her film The Piano, which also earned her an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. In 2022, Campion became the first woman to win Oscars for both screenwriting and directing when her film The Power of the Dog earned her the Best Director award.

Australian-born New Zealand actor Keisha Castle-Hughes is best known for her performance as Paikea in Whale Rider, which earned her an Academy Award nomination at age 13, making her the youngest to achieve the feat back then. She also made waves as Obara Sand in Game of Thrones.

Pamela Stephenson is a New Zealand-born writer, psychologist, and performer. Stephenson is best known as a comedienne who achieved immense popularity during the 1980s when she appeared in comedy films and shows like History of the World, Part I and Not the Nine O'Clock News. As a writer, Pamela Stephenson has been contributing to publications like Psychologies and The Guardian.  

Best known for her role of Ephiny in Xena: Warrior Princess, New Zealand actor Danielle Cormack has also made her presence felt in theater, with plays such as Trainspotting, A Streetcar Named Desire, and East. She owns a production company and is also associated with initiatives such as Childfund.

Hailed as the Queen of Cosplay, Jessica Nigri is known for adding a tinge of sex appeal to otherwise normal characters. She has even dressed up as armored Disney characters. Famous for her cosplays such as Sexy Pikachu, Nigri is also known for her oversized breasts and her jovial personality.

Fran Walsh is a New Zealand film producer and screenwriter. Along with her partner Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh has produced films like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which earned her three Academy Awards in 2004.

Niki Caro is a screenwriter and film director. She achieved international prominence in 2002 when she directed the critically acclaimed drama film Whale Rider, which won several honors at international film festivals. In 2020, she directed Mulan, becoming the second director from New Zealand to be hired by Disney to direct a movie with a minimum budget of $100 million.

Parris Goebel is a New Zealand dancer, choreographer, singer, actress, and director. She is credited with founding a dance school named The Palace Dance Studio where she serves as the main choreographer. Parris Goebel's dance school has produced groups like The Royal Family, which has won the prestigious World Hip Hop Dance Championship thrice in a row.

Ngaio Marsh was a New Zealand theatre director and crime writer. Counted among the Queens of Crime alongside other crime writers like Agatha Christie, Marsh is best remembered for her famous character, Roderick Alleyn. She received several prestigious awards and was made an inductee of the Detection Club in 1974. The Ngaio Marsh Award is presented annually in her memory.

New Zealand actor Dianna Fuemana was 16 when she quit school and got married. She later got divorced before she began dating Australian actor Jay Ryan. The mother of three is known for plays such as Frangipani Perfume and Mapaki and has written and directed a few short films, too.

Philippa Boyens is a New Zealand film producer and screenwriter. She is best known for her association with Peter Jackson, having co-written the screenplay for Jackson's popular films like The Hobbit series and The Lord of the Rings series. In 2004, Boyens received the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the third installment of The Lord of the Rings series.