Peter Vere-Jones


Peter Vere-Jones was an English-born-New Zealand actor. He was known for his collaborations with director Peter Jackson, appearing in four of his films. He was also known for starring in the New Zealand television series Shortland Street.

Personal life

Vere-Jones was born in Cheshire, England, on 21 October 1939, the son of Isabel and Noel Vere-Jones, a biochemist and chemical engineer. The family emigrated to New Zealand in 1949, settling in the Wellington area.
Vere-Jones lived with his wife Sue and his two children, Benjamin and Emma. In 1989, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which was documented in a television documentary called Crisis: One Man's Fight. He later made a full recovery. He died in Waikanae on 26 January 2021.

Honours

In the 2002 [Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours], Vere-Jones was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to writing and acting.