Hollywood grabs half of Conchords

One half of the hit Kiwi duo Flight of the Conchords has been snapped up for a Hollywood movie by the director of cult comedies Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.

Jemaine Clement, whose deadpan delivery and deep voice has become famous alongside his Conchords television series co-creator Bret McKenzie, will star in American Jared Hess' new film, Gentlemen Broncos.

He appeared last year in New Zealand director Taika Waititi's Eagle vs Shark feature film as the gawky Jarrod.

Hess and his wife Jerusha wrote Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre which featured King Kong actor Jack Black in the lead role.

Gentlemen Broncos follows a teenager who is an aspiring fantasy author. When he attends a fantasy convention to show off his work, his story is stolen by a well-known fantasy novelist who is desperate for fresh ideas.

Clement will play the thieving novelist Ronald Chevalier, and young American actor Michael Angarano will star as the outcast teenager. Production is expected to start next month.

Clement and McKenzie, who have been in Wellington for the summer, will find out on Monday if they have won a Grammy - the music equivalent of the Oscars - for best comedy album for their EP The Distant Future.

The pair will not be attending the ceremony in Los Angeles, but it is understood they will make an appearance by video link.

The writing team for the Flight of the Conchords, which includes McKenzie and Clement, has been nominated in three categories of the Writers' Guild of America Awards - new series, comedy series and episodic comedy.

The winners will be announced this weekend.

- © Fairfax NZ News