Nathaniel Lees

Maiava Nathaniel Lees (born 20 July 1952) is a New Zealand theatre actor and director and film actor of Samoan descent, best known for film roles in The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and for starring in Young Hercules as Chiron the centaur.

Career Lees was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was brought up in an environment where Samoan was commonly spoken, so he grew up thinking of himself as being Samoan. He got his first acting job because of "being brown", as the theatre required brown people running around on stage killing Captain Cook. Part of the audition was him walking through the door, and upon doing so, he "had the job". In 2004, he was awarded the Senior Pacific Artist Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards.

Theatre director Lees was the director of the award winning play Think of a Garden written by John Kneubuhl, performed at the Watershed Theatre in 1993 in Auckland In 2003, Lees directed The Songmaker's Chair by Albert Wendt. He also directed Awhi Tapu, by Māori playwright Albert Belz. Lee's contributed to the bi-lingual play O le pepelo, le gaoi ma le pala'ai, written and co-directed by Ui Natano Keni and Sarita Keo Kossamak So, as part of the 2022 Kia Mau Festival. The company featuring a cast of accomplished artists such as Tusi Tamasese, Semu Filipo, Fiona Collins, Tupua Tigafua, Taofi Mose-Nehemia and emerging artists, Albert Latailakepa, Maurea Perez-Varea, Brett Taefu, Jake Arona, Villa Junior, Lanakila Opetaia-Tiatia.

Filmography Other Halves (1984) – Court Clerk Death Warmed Up (1984) – Jackson Shaker Run (1985) – Squad Commander Gloss (1987, TV series) - Phil Chill Factor (1989) – Charles Rapa-Nui (1994) – Long Ear Chief Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994) – Blue Priest Bonjour Timothy (1995) – Mr. Wiley Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1996) – Blue Priest Xena: Warrior Princess (1997) – Niklio Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1997) – Cheiron Young Hercules (1998) – Cheiron The Legend of William Tell (1998) – Leon The Other Side of Heaven (2001) – Kelepi The Lost World (2001, TV Movie) – Indian chief The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) – Uglúk The Matrix Reloaded (2003) – Captain Mifune Liquid Bridge (2003) – Ogitani The Matrix Revolutions (2003) – Captain Mifune The Market (2005, TV series) – Ronnie No. 2 (2006) – Uncle John Sione's Wedding (2006) – Minister The Tattooist (2007) – Mr. Perenese 30 Days of Night (2007) – Carter Davies Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008, TV Series) – Master Mao (6 episodes) Journey to Ihipa (2008) Under the Mountain (2009) – Detective Gray Sione's 2: Unfinished Business (2012) – Minister Mr. Pip (2012) – Mr. Jaggers Realiti (2014) – George One Thousand Ropes (2016) – Henry Pasi Everybody Else Is Taken (2016, Short) – Geoffrey Mortal Engines (2018) The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith (2019) – Kelepi The Dead Lands (2020, TV series) – Te Kaipō Darkest Light (2023) – Superintendent Dean Porter Sweet Tooth (2024) - Munaqsriri (4 episodes) The Rule of Jenny Pen (2024) – Sonny Ausage