Jemaine Clement
A deadpan comedic genius from New Zealand who co-created the cult musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords and its beloved HBO series.
Born 1974 (age 52)·New Zealand actor, musician and filmmaker·Birthday: January 10·Generation X
Biography
Jemaine Clement is a master of a very specific, brilliant awkwardness. Hailing from New Zealand's North Island, he met his future comedy partner Bret McKenzie at university, and the duo Flight of the Conchords was born. Their act—a mix of folk-parody music and painfully funny observational humor—built a global following. Clement's deep, resonant voice and stoic, earnest delivery became their signature. The duo's self-titled HBO series, which he co-created and starred in, transformed them into international stars, capturing the absurd struggles of two hapless musicians in New York City. Beyond the Conchords, Clement has shown impressive range, voicing characters in major animated films like 'Moana' and 'Rio,' co-writing and co-directing the vampire mockumentary 'What We Do in the Shadows,' and appearing in everything from blockbusters to indie dramas. His work consistently carries a uniquely Antipodean wit.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jemaine was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jemaine Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jemaine's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the Emmy-winning HBO series 'Flight of the Conchords.'
- Co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in the cult comedy film 'What We Do in the Shadows.'
- Received a Grammy Award for his work on the 'Flight of the Conchords' television soundtrack.
- Voiced the villainous Tamatoa in Disney's 'Moana' and the bird Nigel in the 'Rio' films.
Did You Know?
He is of Māori descent, with his middle names Atea Mahana reflecting this heritage.
Clement initially studied film and theater at Victoria University of Wellington.
He provided the voice for the IBM Watson assistant in several television commercials.
He and Bret McKenzie performed as street buskers in Europe early in their career.
“I'm not a hero. I'm a leading man.”
