| Jemaine Clement | |
|---|---|
Clement performing in New York in 2007. |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Hiphopopotamus |
| Born | 10 January 1974 |
| Origin | Masterton, New Zealand [1] |
| Genres | Comedy, folk, acoustic |
| Occupations | Comedian, musician, actor |
| Instruments | Bass guitar, guitar, percussion, piano, ukulele, omnichord, drums, xylophone, synthesizer, vocals |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | Sub Pop |
| Associated acts | Bret McKenzie, The Humourbeasts, Flight of the Conchords, So You're a Man |
Jemaine Clement (born 10 January 1974) is a New Zealand comedian, actor and musician, best known as one half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords along with Bret McKenzie.
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Clement was born in New Zealand and raised by his Māori mother,[2] in the Wairarapa region. He moved to New Zealand's capital Wellington, where he studied drama and film at Victoria University of Wellington. There he met Taika Waititi (a.k.a. Taika Cohen) with whom he went on to form So You're a Man and The Humourbeasts. In 2004, the Humourbeasts toured New Zealand in a stage show titled The Untold Tales of Maui,[3] a rework of the traditional Maori legends of Māui. The duo received New Zealand's highest comedy honour, the Billy T Award.
Clement and Bret McKenzie formed Flight of the Conchords while at Victoria University. They have toured internationally and released four CDs: Folk the World Tour in 2002, The Distant Future EP in 2007, Flight of the Conchords in 2008 and I Told You I Was Freaky in 2009. The Conchords produced a six-part improvisational comedy radio program on BBC Radio 2 and have appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show. After appearing in 2005 on HBO's One Night Stand, the Conchords were offered their own 12-part HBO series Flight of the Conchords.[4] Its first season ran from June to September 2007, and was renewed for a second season, which aired on HBO in the US from January to March 2009.[5] In December 2009, the Conchords announced the show would not have a third season.[6]
Clement has appeared in a number of feature films. His feature debut was in the kung fu comedy Tongan Ninja, directed by New Zealander Jason Stutter. He has worked with Stutter on two more movies to date: the low budget ghost comedy Diagnosis Death and the drama Predicament, based on the book by late New Zealand novelist Ronald Hugh Morrieson. Clement also has a role in American comedy Gentlemen Broncos, directed by Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess. This role landed him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. Though Gentlemen Broncos was almost universally panned by critics, some[7] singled out Clement's performance for praise.
Clement has starred in a number of television commercials internationally and provided voiceovers for many others in New Zealand. In 1999, Clement was a Radio Awards Winner as writer for Trashed, for Channel Z, Wellington.[8] In 2000 he was given a Special Radio Awards Commendation for The Sunglass Store.[9] He also was a writer and cast member of the television shows Skitz and Tellylaughs in New Zealand.
On 5 February 2006, Outback Steakhouse began running a series of television commercials starring Clement during Super Bowl XL in which Clement pretends to be Australian and feigns an Australian accent. One of the long-running gags of Flight of the Conchords is the traditional ill-will between New Zealand and Australia and the differences between their accents. The campaign ended in July 2006.
Jemaine, along with fellow Conchord member Bret, was featured as one of 2008's "100 Sexiest People" in a special edition of the Australian magazine Who.[10] Clement and fellow Conchord McKenzie guest starred as a pair of camp counselors in "Elementary School Musical", the season premiere of the 22nd season of The Simpsons, which aired on 26 September 2010.[11] In May 2010, it was confirmed Clement will portray Boris (formerly named Yaz) in the upcoming science fiction film Men in Black III.[12] Most recently, he voiced Jerry in Despicable Me as well as Nigel in Rio, and appeared in the film Dinner for Schmucks.
In August 2008, Clement married his long time girlfriend, theater actress and playwright Miranda Manasiadis. Clement's first child, a son named Sophocles Iraia Clement, was born in October, 2008, in New York City.[13]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Blood Suckers | Vampire | |
| 1999 | Fizz[14] | Chased Man | Short Film |
| 2002 | Tongan Ninja[15] | Action Fighter (Marvin) | Also Writer |
| 2004 | Futile Attraction | Editor | |
| 2006 | What We Do In The Shadows | Director/Writer | |
| 2007 | Eagle vs Shark | Jarrod | |
| 2007–2009 | Flight of the Conchords | Jemaine Clemaine[16] | TV Series: 22 Episodes Also Writer/Executive Producer Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (2009) |
| 2008 | The Drinky Crow Show | Alien | TV Series: 2 Episodes Voice Only |
| 2009 | Gentlemen Broncos | Ronald Chevalier | Nominated - Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male (2009) |
| Diagnosis: Death | Garfield Olyphant | ||
| 2010 | Despicable Me | Jerry the Minion | Voice Only |
| Predicament | Spook | ||
| Dinner for Schmucks | Kieran Vollard | ||
| The Simpsons | Ethan Ballantyne | Voice Only Episode: "Elementary School Musical"[11] |
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| 2011 | Rio | Nigel | Voice Only |
| 2012 | Men in Black III | Boris[17] |
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