In the ways of the ancients she found a hope for the future.
A contemporary story of love, rejection, and triumph as a young Māori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize.
Whale Rider (2003) is a drama and family film directed by Niki Caro, released on January 30, 2003 with a runtime of 1h 41m. It stars Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton and Cliff Curtis. Viewers rate it 7.0 out of 10 across 460 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Whale Rider before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for Whale Rider.
Trailer
Teaser
Keisha Castle-Hughes
as Paikea Apirana
Rawiri Paratene
as Koro
Vicky Haughton
as Nanny Flowers
Cliff Curtis
as Porourangi
Grant Roa
as Uncle Rawiri
Mana Taumaunu
as Hemi
Rachel House
as Shilo
Taungaroa Emile
as Willie
Tammy Davis
as Dog
Mabel Wharekawa
as Maka
Rawinia Clarke
as Miro
Tahei Simpson
as Miss Parata
Directed by Niki Caro, written by Niki Caro, Witi Ihimaera and Gavin Strawhan, produced by Tim Sanders, Frank Hübner and John Barnett.
Average viewer score of 7.0/10 from 460 ratings.
In a cinematic world where tens of millions can be dropped on big names, endless CGI and mediocre writing it’s nice to come across something that strips back the story and the characterisations to something more natural. This is one such film. The Whangara people have lived their way, in their community, since long before New Zealand came into being as a nation and all based on the legend of “Paikea” and his…
Reviewed on February 13, 2026
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Whale Rider (2003) is available to stream on fuboTV, Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now and Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube and Fandango At Home. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Whale Rider (2003) includes Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis and Grant Roa. The film was directed by Niki Caro. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Whale Rider was released on January 30, 2003 and runs for 1h 41m.
Whale Rider (2003) holds an average rating of 7.0 out of 10 from 460 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama and family films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Whale Rider trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
