Whale Rider Movie Cast, Plot and Everything to Know

Amy Renner

Last modified: Dec. 22, 2008

Whale Rider

Release Date: Friday, June 6, 2003

Director: Niki Caro

Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes • Rawiri Paratene • Vicky Haughton • Cliff Curtis • Rawinia Clarke

PG-13 Drama N/A

3.7 / 5

100% WILL SEE 0% WON'T SEE

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Plot

What's the story about?

Plot: One young girl dared to confront the past, change the present and determine the future. On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people - or Whangara iwi - believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs - always the first-born, always male - have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.

Drama

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Top Cast

The lead cast starring in Whale Rider.

Keisha Castle-Hughes
Thank You For Your Service, Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger
R
Rawiri Paratene
Man-Thing
V
Vicky Haughton
C
Cliff Curtis
Avatar: Fire and Ash, Risen
R
Rawinia Clarke
T
Tammy Davis
Black Sheep
T
Taungaroa Emile
G
Grant Roa
River Queen
T
Tahei Simpson
E
Elizabeth Skeen
R
Roi Taimana

Crew Behind the Film

The Whale Rider behind-the-scenes crew and production team.

The film's director Niki Caro last directed The Mother and Mulan.

Director: Niki Caro
Screenwriters: —

Studio: Newmarket Films
Production Companies: —

Production Details

What we know about the Whale Rider movie production.

Production Updates for Whale Rider

Dec 2004

Completed

Changed Whale Rider movie production status. The movie is ready for release.

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Additional Information

Parent Rating: PG-13 Parents Strongly Cautioned for brief language, a momentary drug reference
Runtime: N/A
Tagline: Not available
Also known as: Not available
Language: English

All Trailers

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Release Dates

When was the film released?

Whale Rider was released in on Friday, June 6, 2003. There were 3 other movies released on the same date, including 2 Fast 2 Furious, Love the Hard Way and The Eye.

Movie Theaters

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On DVD, Blu-ray / 4K

2003-10-28 DVD

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Across the Web

Follow the Updates

Mon., Dec. 22, 2008 2008-12-22

Added the soundtrack release date of June 17, 2003

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