Marshall Napier

James Marshall Napier (22 October 1951 – 14 August 2022) was a New Zealand-born actor, playwright, and graphic artist who built a career spanning stage, film, and television across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Raised in Lower Hutt, he attended Hutt Valley High School before pursuing studies in graphic design at the Wellington Polytechnic. Prior to entering the acting profession, he held a range of working-class jobs, including laborer, factory hand, and truck driver. His first professional acting engagement came in 1975 at Wellington's Downstage Theatre.

In 1988, Napier relocated to Australia with his wife and two young children to expand his professional opportunities, and he subsequently established himself as a recognized presence in Australian and New Zealand film and television, earning a reputation for strong supporting performances. His starring role in the 2019 film Bellbird brought the production recognition at multiple international film festivals. As a playwright, Napier wrote Freak Winds, which received productions in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada; additional plays of his were broadcast on ABC radio in Australia.

Napier's stage work extended to Broadway, where he appeared in 2017 in the play The Passing Present. His theater career also encompassed work as a crew member in addition to his performing credits.

Outside of his professional life, Napier was an animal rights advocate and vegetarian. In 2002, he and his daughter, actress Jessica Napier, won $64,000 on the Australian edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, donating the prize to a South Australian animal rights organization. He is also the uncle of film director James Napier Robertson and the father of James Reuben Napier, Jessica Napier, and Rose Napier. Napier died of brain cancer on 14 August 2022 in Canberra at the age of 70.