Ian Mune

Who is Ian Mune?

Ian Barry Mune, OBE is a New Zealand character actor and director. He co-wrote and starred in Roger Donaldson's first film, Sleeping Dogs. He also directed Came a Hot Friday, which featured comedian Billy T. James as the Tainui Kid, and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, the sequel to Once Were Warriors. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? won nine of its 13 New Zealand Film Award nominations in 1999. It remains Mune's biggest commercial success to date.

One of his best-loved films is the 1991 'coming of age' drama The End of the Golden Weather, a film version of Bruce Mason's play, written by Mune and Mason.

In 1994 Mune played Sir Robert Muldoon in the made-for-television mini-series Fallout, depicting the end of the Muldoon-led National Government.

He directed the original episodes of the short-lived television series Letter to Blanchy by David McPhail and Jon Gadsby, and has featured in numerous New Zealand television dramas.

Mune was an 'additional second unit director', as well as playing the part of Bounder in the film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. He played Buster Keaton in the TV movie Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story.

In 2008 Mune directed a telefeature movie called Life's A Riot. It featured Andrew Grainger, Dominic Jennings and Alison Bruce. Mune also had a cameo role as a judge when the actor cast as the judge did not show up.