Famous New Zealanders

When anyone asks for a list of "famous" New Zealanders, they usually mean who are the "best known".

Famous New Zealanders include mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary, filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson, physicist Ernest Rutherford, and political leaders Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark. Other notable individuals are musicians Lorde and Keith Urban, athletes Richie McCaw and Lydia Ko, and actors like Sam Neill, Russell Crowe, and Taika Waititi.

The list of Best Known Kiwis includes celebrities, athletes & influential people born in New Zealand.

Best Known New Zealanders

Adventurers and scientists
Sir Edmund Hillary: The first person to successfully summit Mount Everest, along with Tenzing Norgay.
Ernest Rutherford: A physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and is known as the father of nuclear physics.
Jean Batten: A pioneering aviator.

Arts and entertainment
Sir Peter Jackson: Director of the The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
Taika Waititi: An actor, writer, and director known for films like Jojo Rabbit.
Lorde (Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor): A Grammy-winning musician.
Keith Urban: A musician and singer-songwriter.
Russell Crowe: An actor known for roles in films like Gladiator.
Sam Neill: An actor who gained international success in films such as Jurassic Park.
Flight of the Conchords (Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement): A comedy duo known for their musical comedy.
Kiri Te Kanawa: A world-renowned opera singer.

Sports
Richie McCaw: Former captain of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team.
Lydia Ko: A professional golfer.
Jonah Lomu: A legendary rugby union player.
Steven Adams: A professional basketball player in the NBA.

Politics and social activism
Jacinda Ardern: The third woman to serve as Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Helen Clark: The first woman to be elected Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Kate Sheppard: A leader of the women's suffrage movement and advocate for women's rights.
Dame Whina Cooper: A champion for Māori rights and known as the "Mother of the Nation".