Taika Waititi bio, age, height, wife, children, ethnicity, career path 2025

Biography of Taika Waititi

Taika Waititi is a New Zealand director, actor, screenwriter, and comedian. His films "What We Do in the Shadows" (2014) and "Thor: Ragnarok" (2017) launched him to comedy stardom. "Jojo Rabbit" (2020), a comedy about a child obsessed with Nazi ideals, was nominated for six Oscars.

Childhood and Youth

Taika David Waititi was born on August 16, 1975, on New Zealand's North Island. He spent his childhood and youth in the island's capital, Wellington. Through his mother, Robin Cohen, a teacher, he has Russian-Jewish and Irish roots. His father is Māori, part of New Zealand's indigenous people. His father suggested the name Taika, which means "tiger" in Māori. Taika proudly acknowledges his heritage, describing himself as a "Polynesian Jew."

What's my nationality? I still don't really know. I was born in New Zealand to people who met in the early '70s. They met and a few drinks later, I was conceived. That's the mix I ended up with. I wasn't raised as either Māori or Pakeha [New Zealander of European descent].

Waititi rarely speaks about his early years. He once mentioned that he grew up in extreme poverty: "Our biggest dream was owning a microwave." His farmer father, who had a passion for painting, was an unconventional character with the quirks that come with artistic talent. In one interview, Taika admitted his father was a founding member of the "Satans Slaves" gang. He calls the match between his offbeat artist father and teacher mother the "strangest pairing in history."

From his father, Taika inherited boundless energy as well as extraordinary artistic talent. As a kid, he'd draw on every scrap of paper he could find. Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel particularly inspired the young teen, and he drew it over and over. He was fortunate that his parents were understanding and encouraged his creativity. "They never pushed me to become a lawyer, which is what most parents of gifted kids want," Taika jokes.

Waititi also had another passion — cinema and theater. With his family's support, he applied to the theater department at Victoria University in Wellington. That's where his journey as an actor began.

Comedy

Taika Waititi cruised through his academic life, confessing, "I chose the easiest faculty at the university." There he met people who'd become lifelong friends and collaborators, including Jemaine Clement. Together, they formed the comedy duo "Humourbeasts," and fate would reunite them on film sets down the road.

Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement in their youth

Comedy became Waititi's driving force during college. With his classmates, he put together a comedy troupe that toured New Zealand and Australia. Early on, he performed under the surname Cohen—not a nod to the famous director brothers, but his mother's maiden name. Waititi says this pseudonym helped him avoid being typecast as a "typical Maori actor," though he always signed his films as "Waititi."

After graduating, Waititi wasn't about to ditch comedy. He'd already made his mark in comedy circles and had no plans to stop. Numerous awards, including the prestigious "Billy T" award, only fueled his drive.

Taika Waititi at the beginning of her career

As a performer and comedian, Taika was part of some of New Zealand's most innovative and successful shows. In 2004, he launched "Taika's Incredible Show," followed a year later by the ironically titled sequel, "Taika's Incrediblerer Show."

First Steps into Filmmaking

Taika began acting in films while still in school. After short film roles, he landed significant parts in New Zealand series and feature films. But he had no intention of staying just an actor.

In the early 2000s, he directed several short films that earned critical acclaim. His first feature film arrived in 2007: the comedy "Eagle vs. Shark," about two antisocial misfits brought together by love.

Eagle Vs. Shark (trailer)

His charming film "Boy" (2010) became New Zealand's highest-grossing film in recent years. The next year, Taika made his Hollywood debut—not as a director, but as an actor. He didn't have to start from scratch either: he landed an exciting role in the major superhero film "Green Lantern," starring Ryan Reynolds.

What We Do in the Shadows

Taika Waititi's career breakthrough came with the comedy "What We Do in the Shadows," which became a massive hit in 2014. The film's unique humor and fresh take on modern-day vampires won over critics and audiences alike.

Taika himself played one of the main characters, Viago, a sentimental vampire who shares a house with his vampire friends. He's admitted that he based his character on his own mother. While preparing for his role, Jemaine Clement drew inspiration from Gary Oldman's portrayal in the 1992 film "Dracula."

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Movie Clip - Opening Scene

Here's the kicker: the rest of the cast wasn't given a script before or during filming. They just followed a few guidelines from Jemaine and Taika, making most of the film pure improvisation.

The 2016 film "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" was equally fresh and unique. Sam Neill, known for "Jurassic Park," added charm to the movie.

Thor: Ragnarok

Taika cemented his reputation as a brilliant director in 2017 with "Thor: Ragnarok," one of Marvel's biggest hits, thanks largely to its killer sense of humor.

The director stated that he mainly wanted to showcase Chris Hemsworth's comedic talent: "He's hilarious but rarely gets to show off his comedic chops." Other main roles were played by Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Mark Ruffalo, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Cate Blanchett joined the film at the urging of her children, who are Marvel fans.

Taika himself took on an interesting role, playing the animated character Korg, a giant rock creature. This marked the character's live-action debut – before this, he'd only appeared in animated shows and comics.

Taika shaped his character by recalling the tough bouncers he'd encountered back home:

We wanted to flip the script on what a hulking stone guy could be. He's huge and heavy, but with a light soul. He's funny and friendly.

He became the second Marvel director to play a main role in his own film, preceded by Jon Favreau, who appeared as Happy Hogan.

THOR: RAGNAROK | Funny Behind The Scenes Moments with Taika Waititi

Among the Thor trilogy, Taika's film received the highest ratings. Vibrant, hilarious, and innovative, the film works for everyone – adults and kids, critics and audiences alike. Taika's comedic talent was a perfect fit, lifting the story from its usual solemnity and darkness by generously sprinkling it with humor, kindness, and familiar tunes.

TV Shows

Between projects, Taika Waititi teamed up with Jemaine Clement to create a spin-off of "What We Do in the Shadows." The beloved vampires from the original only make a single appearance in the series. Instead, the spin-off focuses on other vampires who are just as hilarious and charming. The premiere took place in March 2019.

A scene from the series 'Wellington Paranormal'

Taika and Jemaine struck gold again with "Wellington Paranormal" (2018). This comedy follows bumbling cops dealing with the usual drunk fights and party chaos — except now vampires, demons, and other supernatural creatures are in the mix.

WELLINGTON PARANORMAL Trailer Season 1

Oscar Nomination

In 2019, Waititi released "Jojo Rabbit," another film that captivated millions. The story centers on a 10-year-old German boy struggling to survive during World War II. Waititi created something truly unique, using dark humor and absurdity to expose the horror of Nazi ideology.

In "Jojo Rabbit," Taika takes on one of the main roles — Adolf Hitler, who becomes the confused boy's imaginary friend. Through this Nazi-obsessed character, Waititi mocks his own 12-year-old self — who was once fascinated by swastikas until his Jewish mother explained the symbol's tragic history, leaving him deeply ashamed of his inexplicable obsession.

Critics raved about "Jojo Rabbit," which earned six Oscar nominations in 2020. Waititi's film won the award for "Best Adapted Screenplay."

Best of Jojo Rabbit

Further Career

In November 2019, Waititi voiced assassin droid IG-11 in "The Mandalorian" and directed one of the episodes.

Marvel fans were eager for "Thor: Love and Thunder," the fourth Thor movie. After pandemic delays, the film finally hit theaters in summer 2022.

Waititi is also set to helm "Time Bandits," a series adaptation of the 1981 film. Details about cast and plot are still under wraps. On the acting front, Waititi reunited with Ryan Reynolds in "Free Guy" and appeared in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" as the original Ratcatcher — though you might not recognize him.

Other Projects

Taika is truly passionate about art. He spent two years in Berlin, creating artworks that were displayed in popular galleries. In his free time, Waititi paints and takes photos, and he's also working on his own clothing line. One of his innovative fashion pieces is a button-on tie.

Taika's talents don't stop there. His creative ideas caught the attention of a reputable architecture firm in his hometown of Wellington. Taika proposed installing a 35-meter sculpture at the bottom of Ngauranga Gorge, but the administration decided against funding the ambitious project. However, in 2010, Taika's team received the Golden Award from the Institute of Landscape Architects in the "Landscape Design – Ghostly Landscapes" category.

You can check out Taika's artistic talents in Joe Randerson's short story collection "Keys from Hell," which features illustrations by Taika himself.

Taika Waititi's Personal Life

Taika Waititi was happily married for six years to Chelsea Winstanley, who is of Maori heritage. She's a well-known producer in New Zealand and has produced her husband's films "What We Do in the Shadows" and "Jojo Rabbit."

In 2012, Chelsea gave birth to their daughter, named Te Hinekahu. Three years later, they had a second daughter with another unique name, Matewa Kiritapu.

In March 2020, it came to light that Taika had quietly divorced his wife two years earlier.

Taika's new love is Albanian actress and singer Rita Ora. The couple first met at a barbecue at Taika's house in 2018, began dating in 2021, and tied the knot in August 2022. Rita was the one to propose.

Taika Waititi Now

In September 2023, Taika's new directorial project, a comedy called "Next Goal Wins," was released. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Dutch coach Thomas Rongen, who attempts to transform the American Samoa soccer team from underdogs into champions.

Taika Waititi on the Set of the Movie Next Goal Wins

Taika plans to remake the cult anime "Akira" and is also working on a new feature project in the "Star Wars" universe, set to premiere no earlier than 2026.