Curtis Vowell
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Curtis Vowell

Curtis Vowell is a prominent New Zealand film and television director, actor, and producer with over 15 years of experience in the industry. A graduate of Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School (2002), he began his career as an actor, appearing in projects like The Cult, The Almighty Johnsons, and even a minor role in the 2015 film Krampus. Vowell transitioned into directing with his acclaimed debut feature, Fantail (2013), which earned him a Best Director nomination at the New Zealand Film Awards. He followed this success with the 2020 comedy Baby Done, produced by Taika Waititi’s Piki Films, and the 2024 UK medieval comedy Seize Them! starring Nicola Coughlan and Nick Frost. In addition to his film work, Vowell has directed numerous episodes of the long-running New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street and served as a block director for the third season of Stephen Merchant’s BBC/Amazon series The Outlaws. Most recently, he directed the 2025 romantic dramedy Workmates, a semi-autobiographical project written by and starring his frequent collaborator and real-life partner, Sophie Henderson. Vowell, who is of Cook Island Māori descent, is also a former head of acting at Unitec’s School of Performing and Screen Arts.

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