Taika Waititi

ONZM
Waititi at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
Taika David Cohen

(1975-08-16) 16 August 1975 (age 48)
Wellington, New Zealand
Other namesTaika Cohen
EducationVictoria University of Wellington (BA)
Occupations
  • Director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
  • actor
  • comedian
Years active1999–present
WorksFilmography
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2011; sep. 2018)​
  • ​
    (m. 2022)​
Children2
Signature

Taika David Cohen ONZM (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi (/ˈtaɪkə ˈwaɪtɪti/ TY-kə WY-tih-tee),[1] is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor and comedian. He is known for directing quirky comedy films and has expanded his career as a voice actor and producer on numerous projects. He has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Grammy Award, as well as two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.

His feature films Boy (2010) and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) have each been the top-grossing New Zealand film.[2][3] Waititi's 2003 short film Two Cars, One Night earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. He co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the horror comedy film What We Do in the Shadows (2014) with Jemaine Clement, which was adapted into a television series of the same name in 2019. The series has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

His directing credits include the superhero films Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) as well as the black comedy film Jojo Rabbit (2019), the last of which he also wrote and starred in as an imaginary version of Adolf Hitler. Jojo Rabbit received six Academy Award nominations and won Best Adapted Screenplay. Waititi also earned a Grammy Award for producing the film's soundtrack.

In television, Waititi co-created and executive produces the dramedy series Reservation Dogs, and directed, executive produced, and starred in the comedy Our Flag Means Death. In addition to directing an episode of the series The Mandalorian, he also voiced the character IG-11, for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.

Early life

Taika David Cohen[4][5][6] was born on 16 August 1975 in Wellington,[7] and grew up in Wellington's Aro Valley suburb and Raukokore, a small town in the Bay of Plenty.[8][9]

His father was an artist of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, while his mother, Robin Cohen,[10] was a schoolteacher of Jewish ancestry.[11] His mother's paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew whose family came from Novozybkov, Russia.[7] Waititi stated that his mother's family were Russian Jewish, Irish, and other European ethnicities, while his father's side was "Māori and a little bit of French Canadian".[12] His paternal grandfather, also named Taika, served as a Māori Battalion soldier during World War II.[13]

Identifying as both Māori and Jewish, Waititi describes himself as a "Polynesian Jew".[14][15] He was raised more connected to his Māori roots, in a household where Judaism was not actively practised[13] and identifies as an atheist who "puts more stock in indigenous beliefs."[16]

Waititi's parents divorced when he was around five,[17] and he was raised primarily by his mother.[8] He attended Onslow College,[18] then studied theatre at Victoria University of Wellington where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1997.[19]

Although his surname is legally Cohen, Waititi has been known primarily by his father's surname for most of his life.[5][6] He originally used his mother's surname, Cohen, for his work in film and writing, and his father's, Waititi, for visual arts endeavours.[4][20] Following the success of his first short film, he continued to use Waititi professionally.[21]

Career

1999–2011: Early career and film debut

While a student at Victoria University of Wellington, Waititi was part of the five-member comedy ensemble So You're a Man, which toured New Zealand and Australia with some success.[22]

He was half of the comedy duo "The Humourbeasts" alongside Jemaine Clement, which received New Zealand's highest comedy accolade, the Billy T Award, in 1999.[23] Among a variety of artistic interests, Waititi began making comical short films for New Zealand's annual 48Hours film contest.[24] He directed the short film Two Cars, One Night (2003) which involves two young boys and a girl meeting in the carpark of a rural pub in Te Kaha, New Zealand. The short earned acclaim and a Academy Award for Best Live Action Short nomination in 2005.[25] He lost the award to Andrea Arnold who directed the short Wasp (2003).

His first feature film, a romantic comedy called Eagle vs Shark, was released in U.S. theatres for limited distribution in 2007.[26] Waititi co-wrote the film with Loren Horsley.[27] That year, Waititi wrote and directed one episode of the TV show Flight of the Conchords and directed another.[28] In 2010, he acted in the New Zealand TV3 improv sketch comedy show Radiradirah, together with frequent collaborators Rhys Darby and Jemaine Clement.[29] His second feature, Boy, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010,[30] and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Waititi also took one of the main roles, as the ex-con father who returns to his family. On its release in New Zealand, Boy received enthusiastic reviews[31] and was successful at the local box office, eclipsing several records.[32]

In 2011, Waititi directed New Zealand TV series Super City starring Madeleine Sami, who plays five characters living in one city.[33] That year, Waititi portrayed Thomas Kalmaku in the superhero film Green Lantern.[34]

2013–2019: Career breakthrough and expansion

Waititi speaking at 2015 Sundance Film Festival

What We Do in the Shadows (2013)

In 2013, Waititi co-wrote, co-directed and acted in the vampire comedy mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows with Clement.[35] It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014.[36] Waititi and Clement played members of a group of vampires who live in an appropriately gothic house in modern-day Wellington.[37] A television adaptation of the film was commissioned in May 2018, with Waititi as an executive producer and director.[38] The series of the same name premiered on FX in March 2019;[39] its second season received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series.[40]

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Waititi's fourth feature, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.[41] When it was released in New Zealand, the comedy adventure broke Waititi's record for a New Zealand film in its opening weekend.[42] Based on a book by Barry Crump, it centres on a young boy (played by Julian Dennison) and a grumpy man (played by Sam Neill) on the run in the forest. Waititi wrote the initial screenplay for the 2016 Disney film Moana,[43] which focused on gender and family. Those elements were passed over in favour of what became the final story.[44][45]

Marvel films

In 2017, Waititi won the award for New Zealander of the Year, but was unable to receive it in person due to work commitments.[46] That year, he directed his first major studio film, Marvel Studios's Thor: Ragnarok, which was released in October.[47][48] He also portrayed the alien Korg via motion capture in the film.[49] He had previously directed a short film series for Marvel called Team Thor, chronicling the lives of Thor and his roommate, Darryl Jacobson.[50] Thor: Ragnarok earned critical praise and was successful at the box office.[51][52] Waititi was later consulted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely on Thor's storylines for Avengers: Infinity War, to maintain the character's consistency in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[53][54]

Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

In 2019, Waititi wrote and directed Jojo Rabbit, based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, the 1940s-set story of a child in the Hitler Youth whose mother is secretly hiding a Jewish girl in their home. Waititi plays a buffoonish version of Adolf Hitler as the boy's imaginary friend.[55] Waititi received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. He won the latter,[56][57] making him the first person of Māori descent to win an Academy Award in a screenplay category, and the first indigenous person to be nominated for and win Best Adapted Screenplay.[58] In 2021 he won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media as a producer of the Jojo Rabbit soundtrack.[59]

The Mandalorian

In October 2018, Lucasfilm announced that Waititi would be one of the directors of the Star Wars live-action streaming series The Mandalorian, which tells the story of a lone Mandalorian gunfighter in the period between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.[60] The series premiered on 12 November 2019; Waititi also voices a droid bounty hunter named IG-11 in the series.[61] He directed the series' first-season finale, "Chapter 8: Redemption".[62] His voiceover work earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance in 2020.[40]

2020–present

In 2020, Waititi narrated a charity reading of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.[63] He portrayed Ratcatcher in the DC superhero film The Suicide Squad, released in August 2021 to positive reviews.[64][65] Also in August, Waititi portrayed Antwan Hovachelik, the antagonist of the action comedy film Free Guy.[66]

Waititi at Toronto International Film Festival

With Sterlin Harjo, Waititi co-created the comedy series Reservation Dogs, which chronicles the lives of a group of indigenous Oklahoma teens, and comprises a main cast, directors, producers, and writers of indigenous peoples. It premiered on FX and received positive reviews.[67][68] Waititi executive produced, directed and starred as Blackbeard in the HBO Max comedy series Our Flag Means Death.[69] The first season was released in March 2022.[70] That same year, Time magazine placed him on its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[71] Waititi voiced Mo Morrison in the Pixar film Lightyear (2022).[72]

He wrote and directed the superhero film Thor: Love and Thunder, a sequel to Thor: Ragnarok.[73] It released in July 2022.[74] The film received mixed reviews with critic Mark Kermode complained that "the jokes, the catch-phrases [are] just incredibly tired".[75] Richard Brody of The New Yorker described the film writing "The film passes through the nervous system without delivering any sustenance or even leaving a residue."[76] In her mixed review from NPR, Amy Nicholson added "I was really compelled by the ideas Taika Waititi was teasing in this film, but the actual style of it – the eagerness to please – made me take a step back from everything. [But] what he's discussing is really smart."[77]

Waititi also directed a feature film adaptation of the documentary Next Goal Wins prior to directing Thor: Love and Thunder. The film, which had been delayed, was released on November 17, 2023,[78] after Armie Hammer's scenes were re-shot with Will Arnett taking over the role.[79][80][81] The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to negative reviews. Esther Zuckerman of IndieWire praised some of the performances but labeled it as "largely a misfire".[82] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as "a shoddily made and strikingly unfunny attempt to tell an interesting story in an uninteresting way".[83]

Upcoming projects

In 2017, Waititi stated he was working on a sequel to What We Do In The Shadows titled We're Wolves.[84] As of 2023, there have been no updates on the project. That same year, Taika Waititi entered talks to direct a live-action film adaptation of Akira.[85] He was officially confirmed as director and co-writer with Michael Golamco in 2019, with a release date of May 21, 2021.[86] However, the film's production has been on hold due to Waititi's commitments to other projects such as Thor: Love and Thunder.[87] Despite development issues, Waititi has stated that he fully intends on making the film.[88]

In 2019, it was announced that Waititi would direct an animated Flash Gordon movie for 20th Century Studios.[89] Though in 2021, it was revealed that the movie is now live action.[90] The same year, it was announced that Waititi would direct and co-write the pilot episode of a television adaptation of the Terry Gilliam film, Time Bandits. Waititi will co-write the pilot alongside frequent collaborators Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris.[91]

In 2020, Waititi was announced to be attached to write, direct and executive produce two animated series for Netflix based on Roald Dahl's children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its sequel, one adapting the novels and the other focused on the novel's Oompa Loompa characters.[92] In 2021, it was announced that Waititi will executive produce and direct the Showtime limited series The Auteur starring Jude Law.[93] The same year, it was announced that Waititi would adapt The Incal into a feature film.[94] In 2022, Waititi was set to direct the pilot and executive produce a television adaptation of the Charles Yu novel, Interior Chinatown, with Jimmy O. Yang set to star.[95] In 2023, it was announced that he will direct a film adaptation of the novel Klara and the Sun, intending on making it his next movie after Next Goal Wins.[96]

After rumors began circulating in late 2019 and early 2020, it was officially announced on May 4, 2020 that Taika Waititi would direct and co-write a Star Wars movie with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.[97] In 2022, Kathleen Kennedy stated that the film would most likely come out before Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron.[98] In 2023, reports stated that Waititi was looking to star in the film.[99] The next month, Kennedy stated that Waititi's film is still in development and that he was now writing the film alone.[100] The film was reported to start filming in 2024.[101]

Personal life

Waititi was in a relationship with New Zealand actress and writer Loren Horsley for ten years. She co-wrote and acted in his directorial debut, Eagle vs Shark.[27] Waititi married New Zealand film producer Chelsea Winstanley in 2011.[102] They have two daughters.[103] He and Winstanley separated in 2018.[104][105] Waititi has been in a relationship with British singer Rita Ora since 2021.[106][107] They married in August 2022.[108][109][110]

Support for indigenous artists

Waititi incorporates his Māori and indigenous heritage into his projects, such as by including indigenous interns and having traditional owners conduct a Welcome to Country ceremony during the start of filming on set in Australia.[111] He is an executive producer of the New Zealand films The Breaker Upperers (2018), Baby Done (2020), and Night Raiders (2021), all directed by Māori or indigenous filmmakers.[73] In 2021, Waititi's cousin Tweedie Waititi, whom he considers a sibling,[112] began producing and directing Māori language versions of Disney animated films due to Waititi, which she does alongside his former partner Winstanley.[113]

In 2023, Waititi served as an executive producer on Frybread Face and Me directed by Billy Luther.[114]

Filmography

Main article: Taika Waititi filmography
Directed features
Year Title Distribution
2007 Eagle vs Shark Hoyts Distribution
2010 Boy Transmission Films
Madman Entertainment
Kino Lorber
2014 What We Do in the Shadows Madman Entertainment
2016 Hunt for the Wilderpeople Madman Entertainment
Piki Films
2017 Thor: Ragnarok Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
2019 Jojo Rabbit Fox Searchlight Pictures
2022 Thor: Love and Thunder Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
2023 Next Goal Wins Searchlight Pictures
TBA Klara and the Sun Sony Pictures

Frequent collaborators

Below is a table outlining Waititi's numerous collaborations. Clement and Waititi also worked together on television series Flight of the Conchords, Radiradirah and Wellington Paranormal, and Clement has a voice role in Moana, a film for which Waititi wrote the initial screenplay. House also has a voice role in Moana, a film for which Waititi wrote the initial screenplay, and had a minor role in Jojo Rabbit which was ultimately cut from the film.[115] Darby and Waititi also worked together on television series Flight of the Conchords, Our Flag Means Death and Radiradirah. Kightley and Waititi also worked together on the television series Super City and Radiradirah.

Work
Actor
 2007 2010 2014 2016 2017 2019 2022 2023
Jemaine Clement Yes Yes
Rachel House Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Stu Rutherford Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cohen Holloway Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Craig Hall Yes Yes
Rhys Darby Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cori Gonzalez-Macuer Yes Yes
Oscar Kightley Yes Yes
Mike Minogue Yes Yes
Sam Neill Yes Yes Yes
Jonathan Brugh Yes Yes
David Fane Yes Yes Yes

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Taika Waititi

Waititi has received various awards and nominations, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, a Writers Guild of America Award, and nominations for the Golden Globe Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards, among others.

Together with Jemaine Clement, Waititi won the Billy T Award in 1999. In 2005, Waititi received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for the short film Two Cars, One Night (2004). In 2019, he wrote and directed the comedy-drama film Jojo Rabbit, which was met with critical acclaim and earned him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and nominations for the Academy Award for Best Picture, the Golden Globe Award for Best Musical or Comedy Film and the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing in a Feature Film. For the soundtrack of the film, he won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Since 2019, he has written and produced the television series, What We Do in the Shadows, based on the 2014 film of the same name, for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best New Series.

In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, Waititi was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to film.[116]

See also

References

  1. ^ Murphy, Mekado (15 July 2022). "'Thor: Love and Thunder' | Anatomy of a Scene". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  2. ^ Churchouse, Nick (24 April 2010). "Home Boy hit helps keep local cameras rolling". The Dominion Post. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  3. ^ Gardiner, Irene (9 June 2016). "What are New Zealand's top five grossing local films of all time?". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b Campbell, Gordon (23 January 2004). "Taika Waititi". New Zealand Listener. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020. "Cohen" is the name on his birth certificate and "Waititi" is his father's surname, but his current choice of surname doesn't signal a shift in identity.
  5. ^ a b "The Film Programme: Taika Waititi". BBC Online. 2 January 2020. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020. [Cohen] is still my name. It's actually the name on my passport and driver's licence and everything.
  6. ^ a b "Te Ahi Kaa". Radio New Zealand. 22 May 2011. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020. His dad and I always had agreed that when Taika was, before he was born, that if he arrived looking like a Pākehā we'd name him after my dad and his Māori grandfather would–his name would be second, and if he arrived as a Māori then we would reverse it and he, of course, we know what he looks like, so he's Taika David.
  7. ^ a b Bannister, Matthew (2021). Eye of the Taika: New Zealand comedy and the films of Taika Waititi. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. p. 23. ISBN 9780814345320.
  8. ^ a b Buchanan, Kyle (1 November 2019). "Taika Waititi Puts on a Tuxedo". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  9. ^ Kois, Dan (19 October 2017). "The Superweirdo Behind 'Thor: Ragnarok'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  10. ^ Malkin, Marc (31 January 2020). "Taika Waititi's Mom Explains Why She Told Her Son to Make 'Jojo Rabbit'". Variety. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  11. ^ Leon, Melissa (21 October 2019). "Taika Waititi Defends His Feel-Good Nazi Satire 'Jojo Rabbit': 'It's Not a History Lesson'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  12. ^ The Last Skeptik (24 December 2018). "S2E10: Taika Waititi". Thanks for Trying Podcast (Podcast). Acast. Event occurs at 42:44–43:04. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  13. ^ a b Applebaum, Stephen (27 December 2019). "Taika Waititi: mum inspired my Nazi comedy". The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  14. ^ Williams, Trey (26 December 2019). "Taika Waititi on How Portraying Hitler in 'Jojo Rabbit' Made Him Feel 'Uncomfortable'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  15. ^ Crucchiola, Jordan (3 September 2019). "The Jojo Rabbit Trailer Stars Taika Waititi As a Dancing Hitler". Vulture. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  16. ^ Jurgensen, John (11 July 2022). "An Atheist Director Walks Into a Marvel Movie Full of Gods…". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  17. ^ Brookes, Emily (4 June 2019). "Taika Waititi: My father was a gang member". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  18. ^ Catherall, Sarah (10 December 2014). "My secret Wellington: Taika Waititi". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  19. ^ Fisher, Amanda (14 April 2011). "Victoria University honour for Taika Waititi". Stuff. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  20. ^ Bloom, Nate (10 July 2007). "Interfaith Celebrities: Kyra Sedgwick, Baseball's Braun-y Interfaith Rookie and a Jewish Maori director". InterfaithFamily.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  21. ^ Stein, Sophia (23 March 2012). "New Zealand's 'Boy' Takes On America". Cultural Weekly. Archived from the original on 17 February 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  22. ^ ITZKOFF, Dave (10 June 2008). "New in Town, Talking Funny". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  23. ^ "Billy T Award". NZ International Comedy Festival. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  24. ^ Harper, Joseph (31 August 2016). "48Hours: the weirdest and most brutalizing film competition in the world returns". THE SPINOFF. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  25. ^ "Awards / Two Cars, One Night / Short Film". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  26. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (13 June 2008). "Eagle vs Shark". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  27. ^ a b "The Eagle has landed". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  28. ^ Loughrey, Clarisse (14 September 2016). "Taika Waititi interview: On Hunt for the Wilderpeople and the creative journey". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  29. ^ NZ On Screen. "Radiradirah | Series | Television | NZ On Screen". www.nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  30. ^ RT Staff (2 December 2009). "2010 Sundance Film Festival Lineup Announced". rottentomatoes.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  31. ^ Calder, Peter (25 March 2010). "Boy". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  32. ^ Mitchell, Wendy (21 May 2010). "Waititi's Boy sets new record for New Zealand film". Screendaily.com. Screen International. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  33. ^ "Super City". TV3. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  34. ^ Kit, Borys (15 March 2010). "Two kiwi actors join 'Green Lantern'". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  35. ^ "mock documentary WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS". 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  36. ^ "Sundance debut for Kiwi vampire spoof". Stuff. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  37. ^ Godfrey, Alex (1 November 2014). "What We Do In The Shadows: the return of the living deadpan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  38. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (3 May 2018). "'What We Do In The Shadows' Reboot From Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi Gets FX Series Order". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 4 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  39. ^ Valentini, Valentina (26 March 2019). "Taiki Waititi on 'What We Do in the Shadows' Jumping to TV". Vulture. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  40. ^ a b Patten, Dominic (28 July 2020). "Taika Waititi Scores Emmy Double With 'Mandalorian' & 'What We Do In The Shadows' Nomination". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  41. ^ "SUNDANCE INSTITUTE COMPLETES FEATURE FILM LINEUP FOR 2016 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL". Sundance Film Festival. 7 December 2015. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  42. ^ Sharf, Zack (4 April 2016). "Sundance Crowdpleaser 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' Makes Box Office History in New Zealand". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  43. ^ "Taika Waititi behind Disney script 'Moana'". The New Zealand Herald. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  44. ^ "Interview: 'Moana' Directors John Musker And Ron Clements On Making Their First CG Movie". /Film. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  45. ^ Schmitz, Melanie (30 November 2016). "'Moana' Viewer Raises Thought-Provoking Questions About How We Talk About The Film". Romper. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  46. ^ Barton, Nicky. "2017 NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS WINNERS UPDATE". New Zealander of the Year Awards. Kiwibank. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  47. ^ Kit, Borys (2 October 2015). "'Thor 3' Finds Its Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  48. ^ Frater, Patrick (21 October 2015). "Marvel's 'Thor: Ragnarok' and Fox's 'Alien' To Shoot in Australia". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  49. ^ Lawrence, Derek. "Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi to portray Korg in film". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  50. ^ Carbone, Gina (12 April 2019). "Yes! Chris Hemsworth Is Down For A Team Thor TV Show With Darryl". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  51. ^ Holub, Christian (9 October 2017). "Thor: Ragnarok early reviews praise film's originality, humor". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  52. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (20 March 2018). "'Thor: Ragnarok' Box Office Profits 2017: Threequel Scores Rare Victory". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  53. ^ Holmes, Adam (6 September 2019). "Avengers: Endgame Writers Had to Totally Retool Thor After Taika Waititi's Ragnarok". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on 3 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  54. ^ Couch, Aaron (27 April 2018). "'Avengers' Writers Tweaked 'Infinity War' for James Gunn". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  55. ^ "Scarlett Johansson to Star in Taika Waititi's 'Jojo Rabbit' for Fox Searchlight (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  56. ^ Grobar, Matt (13 January 2020). "Taika Waititi Discusses 'Jojo Rabbit' Oscar Noms & Discovering Michael Fassbender's Comedic Chops On 'Next Goal Wins'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  57. ^ Woerner, Meredith (9 February 2020). "Taika Waititi Dedicates His Oscar Win to the Indigenous Kids of the World". Variety. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  58. ^ Brown, Tracy (10 February 2020). "Taika Waititi makes Oscars history as first Maori Academy Award winner". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 10 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  59. ^ Curto, Justin (14 March 2021). "Grammys 2021: Taika Waititi Wins for Jojo Rabbit Soundtrack". Vulture. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  60. ^ Kit, Borys (4 October 2018). "'Star Wars' TV Show Books Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard as Directors". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  61. ^ Woerner, Meredith; Jackson, Angelique (12 November 2019). "'The Mandalorian': Taika Waititi Compares Droid IG-11 to the Terminator". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  62. ^ Lindbergh, Ben (28 December 2019). "'The Mandalorian' Finale Was a Showcase for What Makes the Series Great". The Ringer. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  63. ^ Flood, Alison (18 May 2020). "Taika Waititi leads all-star charity Roald Dahl readings". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  64. ^ Grebey, James (6 August 2021). "Who's Who in The Suicide Squad: A Character Guide". Vulture. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  65. ^ "The Suicide Squad: Positive reviews for 'riotous' film". BBC News. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  66. ^ Vlessing, Etan (28 March 2019). "Taika Waititi, Utkarsh Ambudkar Join Fox's Action-Comedy 'Free Guy'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  67. ^ Hill, Libby (12 August 2021). "'Reservation Dogs': This Indigenous American Life — TV Podcast". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  68. ^ Odman, Sydney (6 August 2021). "'Reservation Dogs' Creators and Cast Talk Breaking Barriers, Future of Native Representation in Hollywood". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  69. ^ Hibberd, James (30 April 2021). "Taika Waititi to Play Blackbeard the Pirate in HBO Max Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  70. ^ Alexander, Susannah (23 January 2022). "First look at Marvel's Taika Waititi as Blackbeard in new TV series". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  71. ^ Cohen, Sacha Baron (23 May 2022). "Taika Waititi Is on the 2022 TIME 100 List". Time. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  72. ^ "Taika Waititi Didn't Really Know What Was Going On In His Lightyear Scenes". Slashfilm. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  73. ^ a b Maddox, Garry (9 June 2021). "'In the world of the internet, everything goes away pretty quick': Taika Waititi". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  74. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (27 December 2021). "'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', 'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse' Among Most Anticipated 2022 Movies". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  75. ^ "Mark Kermode reviews Thor: Love and Thunder – Kermode and Mayo's Take". Youtube. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  76. ^ Brody, Richard (13 July 2022). ""Thor: Love and Thunder," Reviewed: Marvel as a Faith-Based Organization". The New Yorker. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  77. ^ "FilmWeek: 'Thor: Love and Thunder,' 'The Sea Beast,' 'Fire of Love,' 'The King of North Sudan' And More". KPCC. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  78. ^ McClintock, Pamela (12 April 2023). "Taika Waititi's 'Next Goal Wins' Kicks Box Office Release to November 2023". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  79. ^ Mantilla, Daniel (4 July 2022). "Taika Waititi (Thor): "Los superhéroes se han convertido en los nuevos dioses en muchos sentidos"". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  80. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (15 September 2022). "Disney Release Dates Coming Out Of D23: Snow White Eyes Spring 2024, Rogue Squadron Scrubbed From Schedule & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  81. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (21 December 2022). "Taika Waititi's 'Next Goal Wins' Heads To Early Fall".
  82. ^ "'Next Goal Wins' Review: Taika Waititi Fumbles His Long-Awaited Inspirational Sports Tale". IndieWire. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  83. ^ Lee, Benjamin (11 September 2023). "Next Goal Wins review – Taika Waititi's football comedy is strikingly unfunny". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  84. ^ O'Falt, Chris (2 November 2017). "'Thor: Ragnarok' Director Taika Waititi Confirms 'What We Do in the Shadows' Sequel". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  85. ^ Busch, Fleming Jr, Anita, Mika (19 September 2019). "'Akira' Back? 'Thor: Ragnarok' Helmer Taika Waititi In Talks". Deadline. Retrieved 7 August 2023.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  86. ^ Couch, Aaron (24 May 2019). "Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Sets 2021 Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  87. ^ Kit, Borys (16 July 2019). "Taika Waititi to Direct 'Thor 4'(Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  88. ^ Kelly, Stephen (11 November 2021). "Taika Waititi talks Free Guy, Star Wars and Thor". Wired. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  89. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (24 June 2019). "Taika Waititi To "Crack" 'Flash Gordon' As Fox/Disney Animated Film". Deadline. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  90. ^ "Exclusive: Taika Waititi's Animated 'Flash Gordon' Movie Is Now Live-Action". Collider. 30 July 2021. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  91. ^ Andreeva, Nellie; D'Alessandro, Anthony (11 March 2019). "Taika Waititi To Co-Write & Direct Time Bandits Series In Works At Apple From Paramount, Anonymous Content & MRC". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  92. ^ McNary, Dave (5 March 2020). "Taika Waititi Making Not One, But Two 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Animated Series for Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  93. ^ Kroll, Justin (14 February 2020). "Jude Law, Taika Waititi Team on Showtime Limited Series 'The Auteur'". Variety. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  94. ^ "Taika Waititi to Adapt Legendary Graphic Novel 'The Incal' as Feature Film". TheWrap. 4 November 2021. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  95. ^ Bell, BreAnna (13 October 2022). "Hulu Orders 'Interior Chinatown' to Series With Jimmy O. Yang to Star, Taika Waititi to Direct". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  96. ^ Kroll, Justin (1 May 2023). "Taika Waititi To Direct 'Klara and the Sun'". Deadline. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  97. ^ "Taika Waititi to Direct, Co-Write new Star Wars Film". StarWars.com. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  98. ^ Shepherd, Jack (1 June 2022). "Next Star Wars Movie Will Be From Taika Waititi In 2023". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  99. ^ B. Vary, Adam (27 March 2023). "'Star Wars' Shakeup: Kevin Feige and Patty Jenkins Movies Shelved, Taika Waititi Looking to Star in His Own Film (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  100. ^ Amon, Warmann; Earl, William (8 April 2023). "Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy on Daisy Ridley's New Rey Film, 'Obi-Wan Kenobi' Season 2 and Rian Johnson's 'Star Wars' Future". Variety. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  101. ^ Kroll, Justin (1 May 2023). "Taika Waititi In Talks To Direct Adaptation Of 'Klara And The Sun' For 3000 Pictures; Garrett Basch Boards As Producer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  102. ^ Rittman, Alex (28 January 2020). "Rotterdam: How CineMart First Gave 'Jojo Rabbit' Legs". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  103. ^ "Taika Waititi and wife Chelsea Winstanley separated". The New Zealand Herald. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  104. ^ Kirkpatrick, Emily (3 August 2021). "Taika Waititi and Rita Ora Attend 'Suicide Squad' Premiere Together". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  105. ^ Mier, Tomás (28 April 2021). "Rita Ora and Director Taika Waititi Spark Dating Rumors After She Posts Cuddled Up Photo with Him". People. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  106. ^ "Valentine's Day: Taika Waititi reveals story behind his romance with Rita Ora". The New Zealand Herald. 15 February 2022. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  107. ^ Schaben, Allen J. (13 February 2022). "Super Bowl party pictures: Faces in the crowd at SoFi Stadium". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  108. ^ VanHoose, Benjamin (12 August 2022). "Rita Ora, Taika Waititi Married in Very Small Ceremony". People. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  109. ^ Jack, Amberleigh (28 January 2023). "'I'm off the market': Rita Ora finally confirms marriage to Taika Waititi". Stuff. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  110. ^ Macon, Alexandra (4 August 2023). "Inside Rita Ora and Taika Waititi's Intimate, Never-Before-Seen Los Angeles Wedding". British Vogue. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  111. ^ "Taika Waititi: paying it forward on Thor: Ragnarok | Screen News". Screen Australia. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  112. ^ Knight, Kim (1 May 2021). "Enter the taniwha". Stuff. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  113. ^ "Tweedie Waititi: Bringing Disney classics into te ao Māori". Radio New Zealand. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  114. ^ Patton, Dominic (11 March 2023). "'Frybread Face & Me' Director Billy Luther & EP Taika Waititi On SXSW Debut, Original Stories, 'Star Wars,' Savvy Audiences, & Expanding Horizons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  115. ^ "Jojo Rabbit Deleted Scene Details Revealed By Cut Actress". Screen Rant. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  116. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2020". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2020. Archived from the original on 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taika Waititi.
Taika Waititi
Awards for Taika Waititi
Authority control databases
Categories