James Bond legend who worked with Pierce Brosnan dies age 75 as cause of death confirmed by family
A film director who was at the helm of Pierce Brosnan’s final outing as James Bond has died age 75.
Lee Tamahori, best known for directing the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, has died after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, his family confirmed.
A family statement read: “His legacy endures with his whanau, his mokopuna, every filmmaker he inspired, every boundary he broke, and every story he told with his genius eye and honest heart.
“A charismatic leader and fierce creative spirit, Lee championed Maori talent both on and off screen. He ultimately returned home to tell stories grounded in whakapapa and identity, with Mahana and his latest film The Convert, reaffirming his deep connection to Aotearoa.
“We’ve lost an immense creative spirit.”
Tamahori’s career spanned three decades, marked by bold storytelling and visual flair. The New Zealander first gained international acclaim with his 1994 debut Once Were Warriors, a raw, powerful look at urban Māori life that became New Zealand’s highest-grossing film at the time.
His success opened the doors to Hollywood, where he directed thrillers such as The Edge (1997) starring Anthony Hopkins, and Along Came a Spider (2001) with Morgan Freeman.
In 2002, Tamahori took on one of cinema’s biggest franchises, directing Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day. The film, also featuring Halle Berry as Jinx and a cameo by Madonna—who performed the theme song—was the 20th Bond installment and one of the top box-office hits of the year.
He continued to explore a wide range of stories, from the action sequel XXX: State of the Union (2005) to the political thriller The Devil’s Double (2011), starring Dominic Cooper as the body double of Saddam Hussein’s son, Uday.
Tamahori’s final film, The Convert (2022), starred Guy Pearce and Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne and returned him to his cultural roots with a story grounded in 19th-century Aotearoa.