Biography
Who is Jemaine Clement?
Early life and education
Jemaine Atea Mahana Clement was born in Masterton, New Zealand. He grew up in a working-class household with his mother and his grandmother, Maikara. He has two brothers. Clement is of Māori descent through his mother and is a descendant of the chief Iraia Te Ama-o-te-rangi Te Whaiti. His father, Robert, worked at the local freezing works and later became a stained glass artist.
Jemaine Clement attended Mākoura College in his hometown. He later moved to Wellington to study drama and film at Victoria University of Wellington. During his time at university, he met Taika Waititi. The two formed a partnership that led to early stage work including the comedy group The Humourbeasts.
Rise to comedy fame
While at university, he also met musician Bret McKenzie. Together, they formed the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. The pair toured internationally and produced a radio programme for BBC Radio 2. This project grew into a television series for HBO that ran from 2007 to 2009. The show earned six Primetime Emmy nominations.
Before their television success, the duo won the Billy T Award in New Zealand for their stage show The Untold Tales of Maui. The pair released multiple albums, including The Distant Future EP, which won the 2008 Grammy for Best Comedy Album.
Film and television career
Jemaine Clement has a varied career in film and television. His directorial debut came in 2014 with the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, which he co-wrote and co-starred in with Taika Waititi. He later adapted this film into a long-running television series for FX. His film acting credits include roles in Gentlemen Broncos, Men in Black 3, People Places Things, and Avatar: The Way of Water.
He has provided voice work for several major animated films. These include the role of Nigel in Rio and Rio 2, Jerry in Despicable Me, and Tamatoa in Moana. In the Disney film Moana, he voiced the character in both English and the Māori dub. He also played Oliver Bird in the television series Legion and appeared in the 2024 series Plum.
Family and personal life
In August 2008, Jemaine Clement married Miranda Manasiadis, a theatre actress and playwright. Their son, Sophocles Iraia, was born later that year in New York City. The child is named after the great-grandfather of Manasiadis and the ancestor of Clement. The family currently resides in Wellington, New Zealand.
Clement has been recognized for his work beyond the screen, including winning a Radio Award in 1999 for his writing on the show Trashed. He also appeared in a series of television commercials for Outback Steakhouse during the 2006 Super Bowl, where he adopted an Australian accent.
Birthday and age
Jemaine Clement was born on January 10, 1974, which makes Jemaine 52 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Jemaine shares the date with 59 other famous people.
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