Bret McKenzie
Encyclopedia
Bret Peter Tarrant McKenzie (born 29 June 1976 in Wellington
, New Zealand
) is a comedian, actor, musician and producer, best known for being one half of the Grammy Award
winning musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords
along with Jemaine Clement
.
. He released an album called Prototype as Video Kid and is a member of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra
. McKenzie attended Clifton Terrace Model School (model refers to a standard school for training teachers as opposed to modeling
), Wellington College
and then Victoria University of Wellington
where he met Jemaine Clement
who was also studying film and theatre. Together they were members of So You're a Man
. They later formed Flight of the Conchords
.
As The Conchords they have toured internationally and released four CDs: Folk the World Tour
in 2002, Grammy Award-winning The Distant Future
in 2007, Grammy nominated 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 for the BBC
and have appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show
with Craig Ferguson
. After a successful appearance in 2005 on HBO
s One Night Stand
, the Conchords were offered their own 12-part HBO series Flight of the Conchords
. Its first season ran from June to September 2007, and its second season premiered on HBO 18 January 2009.
McKenzie has appeared in the first and third films in Peter Jackson
's Lord of the Rings
trilogy. His silent role in the first film as Figwit
achieved some minor internet fame, which led to Jackson giving him a line in the third film. In April 2011, McKenzie was cast as the elf Lindir (in contrast to Figwit a character created by Tolkien
himself) for the upcoming The Hobbit. His father Peter McKenzie played the role of Elendil
in Lord of the Rings.
Along with Clement, McKenzie was featured as one of 2008's "100 Sexiest People" in a special edition of the Australian magazine Who.
McKenzie and fellow Conchord Clement 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.
McKenzie, together with Australian comedian Hamish Blake
is set to star in a New Zealand feature film, Two Little Boys, currently under production in New Zealand and set for release late 2011.
, New York City
and Wellington
, New Zealand. They have a daughter, Vita McKenzie, who was born in 2009.
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a comedian, actor, musician and producer, best known for being one half of the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
along with Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement 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.-Early life:...
.
Background
McKenzie is a former member of The Black SeedsThe Black Seeds
The Black Seeds are a musical group from Wellington, New Zealand. Their music is a fusion of dub, funk, afrobeat and soul.The Black Seeds have two double-platinum selling albums at home, and successful European album releases through the German-based Sonar Kollektiv label...
. He released an album called Prototype as Video Kid and is a member of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra
Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra
The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra is an ensemble of ukulele players based in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from a double bass the band is composed entirely of ukuleles. Their repertoire consists mainly of covers of modern popular music and some ukulele and New Zealand standards...
. McKenzie attended Clifton Terrace Model School (model refers to a standard school for training teachers as opposed to modeling
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
), Wellington College
Wellington College (New Zealand)
Wellington College is a state secondary school for boys in Mount Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Wellington College opened in 1867 as Wellington Grammar School in Woodward Street, though Sir George Grey gave the school a deed of endowment in 1853. In 1874 it opened at its present...
and then Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
where he met Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement 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.-Early life:...
who was also studying film and theatre. Together they were members of So You're a Man
So You're a Man
So You're a Man were a five-man comedy troupe, who performed in the mid-90s in both New Zealand and Australia. Members were Bret McKenzie, Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, actor Carey Smith and theatre director David Lawrence...
. They later formed Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
.
As The Conchords they have toured internationally and released four CDs: Folk the World Tour
Folk the World Tour
Folk the World Tour is the debut album released in 2002 by New Zealand group, Flight of the Conchords.Songs 1-5, 8, 11 and 12 were recorded in May 2002 at The Classic in Auckland. Songs 6, 7, 9 and 10 were recorded in April 2001 at the Bats Theatre in Wellington...
in 2002, Grammy Award-winning The Distant Future
The Distant Future
The Distant Future is the Grammy-award winning EP by New Zealand folk-parody duo Flight of the Conchords, released on August 7, 2007. It was certified Gold in New Zealand on May 11, 2008, selling over 7,500 copies....
in 2007, Grammy nominated Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords (album)
-Personnel:*All songs written and performed by Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie*Sara Johnson - vocals on "Foux du Fafa"*Robin Lynn - keys on "Foux du Fafa," "Think About It" and "The Most Beautiful Girl "...
in 2008, and I Told You I Was Freaky in 2009. The Conchords produced a six-part improvisational comedy radio program for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and have appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show (CBS TV series)
The Late Late Show is an American late-night television talk and variety show on CBS hosted by Craig Ferguson since 2005. It immediately follows Late Show with David Letterman and is produced by Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated...
with Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson
Craig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
. After a successful appearance in 2005 on HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
s One Night Stand
One Night Stand
One Night Stand is an HBO stand-up series that first aired on February 15, 1989. The half-hour series aired weekly and featured stand-up comedy specials from some of the top performing comedians. The series originally comprised 55 specials over the course of its four years on HBO...
, the Conchords were offered their own 12-part HBO series Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords (TV series)
Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement...
. Its first season ran from June to September 2007, and its second season premiered on HBO 18 January 2009.
McKenzie has appeared in the first and third films in Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
trilogy. His silent role in the first film as Figwit
Figwit
Figwit is a fan-created name for an unnamed elf extra in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, played by actor and musician Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame...
achieved some minor internet fame, which led to Jackson giving him a line in the third film. In April 2011, McKenzie was cast as the elf Lindir (in contrast to Figwit a character created by Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
himself) for the upcoming The Hobbit. His father Peter McKenzie played the role of Elendil
Elendil
Elendil is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He appears in The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
in Lord of the Rings.
Along with Clement, McKenzie was featured as one of 2008's "100 Sexiest People" in a special edition of the Australian magazine Who.
McKenzie and fellow Conchord Clement guest starred as a pair of camp counselors in "Elementary School Musical
Elementary School Musical (The Simpsons)
"Elementary School Musical" is the season premiere of The Simpsons twenty-second season. It aired on the Fox Network in the United States on September 26, 2010...
", the season premiere of the 22nd
The Simpsons (season 22)
The Simpsons twenty-second season began airing on Fox on September 26, 2010 and ended on May 22, 2011. The Simpsons was renewed for at least two additional seasons during the twentieth season leading up to this season. The cast is currently signed through the 25th season. On November 11, 2010, the...
season of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, which aired on 26 September 2010.
McKenzie, together with Australian comedian Hamish Blake
Hamish Blake
Hamish Donald Blake is an Australian comedian, actor, author and bodybuilder from Melbourne, Australia. Since 2003, he has worked with Andy Lee as part of the comedy duo Hamish and Andy. The pair have performed live and on television and radio, most notably with their drive-time radio program...
is set to star in a New Zealand feature film, Two Little Boys, currently under production in New Zealand and set for release late 2011.
Personal life
He is married to New Zealand publicist Hannah Clarke and currently lives in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand. They have a daughter, Vita McKenzie, who was born in 2009.
Selected filmography
| Year | Title | Character | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | Elf at Council of Elrond Elrond Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:... (Figwit Figwit Figwit is a fan-created name for an unnamed elf extra in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, played by actor and musician Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame... ) |
Feature film | Uncredited |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings... |
Elf Escort (Figwit Figwit Figwit is a fan-created name for an unnamed elf extra in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, played by actor and musician Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Conchords fame... ) |
Feature film | |
| 2007–2009 | Flight of the Conchords Flight of the Conchords (TV series) Flight of the Conchords is an American television comedy series that debuted on HBO on June 17, 2007. The show follows the adventures of Flight of the Conchords, a two-man band from New Zealand, as its members seek fame and success in New York City. The show stars the real-life duo, Jemaine Clement... |
Bret McClegnie | TV series | Also creator, co-writer, and executive producer |
| 2008 | The Drinky Crow Show The Drinky Crow Show The Drinky Crow Show is an American animated television series created by Eric Kaplan and Tony Millionaire, based on the latter's comic strip Maakies. The pilot episode aired on Cartoon Network's late night programing block, Adult Swim on May 13, 2007. The series premiered on November 23, 2008 and... |
Rob, the Alien | TV series | Episodes: "Beer Goggles" and "Old Girlfriend" |
| 2009 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010... |
TV series | Episode: "Tennis" | |
| 2009 | Diagnosis Death | Dr. Cruise | Film | |
| 2010 | The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie... |
Kurt Hardwick | TV series | Episode: "Elementary School Musical Elementary School Musical (The Simpsons) "Elementary School Musical" is the season premiere of The Simpsons twenty-second season. It aired on the Fox Network in the United States on September 26, 2010... " |
| 2011 | Two Little Boys | Nige | Feature Film | |
| 2011 | The Muppets The Muppets (film) The Muppets is a 2011 American musical and comedy film, and the first Muppets theatrical release in 12 years, as well as the first Disney-produced Muppets film since 1996's Muppet Treasure Island... |
Feature Film | Music supervisor | |
| 2012 | Austenland | Martin | Feature Film | |
| 2012 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | Lindir | Feature Film | Actual character from The Fellowship of the Ring The Fellowship of the Ring The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It takes place in the fictional universe Middle-earth. It was originally published on July 29, 1954 in the United Kingdom... |
| 2013 | The Hobbit: There And Back Again | Feature Film |