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 Taika Waititi, also known as Taika Cohen, hails from the Raukokore region of the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand, and is the son of Robin (Cohen), a teacher, and Taika Waititi, an artist and farmer. His father is Maori (Te-Whanau-a-Apanui), and his mother is of Ashkenazi Jewish, Irish, Scottish, and English descent. Taika has been involved in the film industry for several years, initially as an actor, and now focusing on writing and directing.Two Cars, One Night is Taika's first professional film-making effort and since its completion in 2003 he has finished another short "Tama Tu" about a group of Maori Soldiers in Italy during World War 2. As a performer and comedian, Taika has been involved in some of the most innovative and successful original productions seen in New Zealand. He regularly does stand-up gigs in and around the country and in 2004 launched his solo production, "Taika's Incredible Show". In 2005 he staged the sequel, "Taika's Incrediblerer Show". As an actor, Taika has been critically acclaimed for both his Comedic and Dramatic abilities. In 2000 he was nominated for Best Actor at the Nokia Film Awards for his role in the Sarkies Brother's film "Scarfies".Taika is also an experienced painter and photographer, having exhibited both mediums in Wellington and Berlin, and a fashion designer. He attended the Sundance Writers Lab with "Choice", a feature loosely based on "Two Cars, One Night".Taika became a blockbuster director with his film Thor: Ragnarok (2017), and received critical acclaim, and a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, for his film Jojo Rabbit (2019).
Bio:
Taika Waititi, also known as Taika Cohen, hails from the Raukokore region of the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand, and is the son of Robin (Cohen), a teacher, and Taika Waititi, an artist and farmer. His father is Maori (Te-Whanau-a-Apanui), and his mother is of Ashkenazi Jewish, Irish, Scottish, and English descent. Taika has been involved in the film industry for several years, initially as an actor, and now focusing on writing and directing.Two Cars, One Night is Taika's first professional film-making effort and since its completion in 2003 he has finished another short "Tama Tu" about a group of Maori Soldiers in Italy during World War 2. As a performer and comedian, Taika has been involved in some of the most innovative and successful original productions seen in New Zealand. He regularly does stand-up gigs in and around the country and in 2004 launched his solo production, "Taika's Incredible Show". In 2005 he staged the sequel, "Taika's Incrediblerer Show". As an actor, Taika has been critically acclaimed for both his Comedic and Dramatic abilities. In 2000 he was nominated for Best Actor at the Nokia Film Awards for his role in the Sarkies Brother's film "Scarfies".Taika is also an experienced painter and photographer, having exhibited both mediums in Wellington and Berlin, and a fashion designer. He attended the Sundance Writers Lab with "Choice", a feature loosely based on "Two Cars, One Night".Taika became a blockbuster director with his film Thor: Ragnarok (2017), and received critical acclaim, and a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, for his film Jojo Rabbit (2019).
Tivia:
'What We Do in the Shadows' actors hadn't seen the script before and during the making of the film; they had only some directions from Jemaine and Taika and the script was largely improvised.His portrait as Viago, the character from 'What We Do in the Shadows' painted by Freeman White is in the NZ Portrait Gallery in Wellington together with Jemaine Clement's character Vladislav's and Jonathan Brugh's as Deacon.First Indigenous filmmaker to win an Oscar. He follows Buffy Sainte-Marie as the second Indigenous person to win a competitive Oscar.He's from the Maori tribe Te-Whaanau-a-Apanui (the family of Apanui), sub-tribe Te-Whaanau-a-Pararaki (the family of Pararaki).His Dad was a painter and his Mum is a teacher.Taika in Maori means 'Tiger'.One of his inventions was a tie with a hole to button it to the shirt.He met Jemaine Clement at Victoria University of Wellington, later forming the comedy duo, 'The Humourbeasts'.When it comes to the original music for his films, he always collaborates with the Wellington band The Phoenix Foundation who have made the film scores for his three films: 'Eagle vs Shark', 'BOY' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' and Samuel Scott of The Phoenix Foundation was the music editor for 'What We Do in the Shadows'.Taika was inspired to write Two Cars, One Night while hanging out in a g-string, fully waxed for an acting role as a stripper in a TV show 'The Strip' in 2002.Waihau Bay where 'BOY' was filmed is where Taika himself grew up as a child; Boy's home in the film is Taika's aunts' house.He wrote two and directed four episodes of 'Flight of the Conchords' HBO show; he's also has a cameo in the telephone commercial in the episode 'Drive By.'.Earlier in his career he used 'Cohen' for his work as an actor and performer and 'Waititi' as a painter and artist. Now, to avoid confusion he goes by the surname 'Waititi'.Cohen is his mother's surname, Waititi is his father's family name.His father is of Maori descent, with a distant French-Canadian line. Taika's mother is of one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, from her own paternal grandfather, along with Irish, Scottish, and English.He wrote 'Eagle vs Shark' with his then girlfriend Loren Horsley/Taylor. Jemaine Clement admits it was difficult to film the kissing scene with Loren's boyfriend directing him.In 2013, Taika used empty Nespresso capsules to make a two sided artwork showing the creation story of Wellington Harbour known in Maori as 'Tangi Te Keo'. It can be seen in Nespresso Boutique in Wellington.BOY is actually his first film. Taika started to write it following the success of the short film 'Two Cars One Night'. However, he wanted to make his debut film lighter so he chose to make a romantic comedy 'Eagle vs Shark'.Taika spent two years in Berlin working and exhibiting in the Schliemann 40 House.He went to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002 with Jemaine Clement as 'The Humourbeasts'. Jemaine performed there also with Bret McKenzie as 'Flight of the Conchords'. FOTC became popular and the rest is history.He illustrated Jo Randerson's book of short stories 'The Keys to Hell'.He crafted his stage skills together with 'Flight of the Conchords' at Bats theatre in Wellington which is now owned by Sir Peter Jackson.One of his first TV appearances was playing a surfer in a Moro Bar commercial.Member of the 'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) since 2016.He collaborated with the architectural firm Wraight & Associates on a proposal for Wellington City Council's Wellington Gateway project. He designed a sculpture 'Upoko O Te Ika A Maui'. Unfortunately, "plans for a 35-metre-high illuminated sculpture at the bottom of Ngauranga Gorge have been ditched because of fears for aircraft and of a massive budget blowout." Nevertheless, they won the 2010 New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Gold Award in Landscape Design Category - Visionary Landscapes.Rhys Darby's Murray Hewitt in FOTC's HBO show wasn't their first mock-manager. Taika was the original 'Flight of the Conchords' manager Larry Pritchard of Larry Pritchard Productions in the mock-report from the Conchords at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002.Taika uses false teeth quite often in his comedy performances: 'The Ordinary Alien' in Radiradirah, Gunter the German "joke" teller in his stand up, vampires in the original 'What We Do in the Shadows' short film, his many characters in 'Falling Leaves', a short film.In 'Eagle vs Shark', Taika plays Jarrod's dead brother Gordon.Directed 1 actress in an Oscar nominated performance: Scarlett Johansson, who was nominated for Jojo Rabbit (2019).He made the music video for Age Pryor's 'Shank's Pony' and cover art for the album.Working titles for BOY were 'Choice' and 'The Volcano'.The music video for The Phoenix Foundation's '40 years' was shot in Lyall Bay on Wellington's South Coast in one single shot using the BAXI bike to carry the camera.Taika means magic in Finnish.James Rolleston was cast two days before shooting 'BOY'.Michael Jackson's nephew, Taj Jackson saw 'BOY' and "really enjoyed it", he "loved the MJ homages and references". |
| Name: |
Taika Waititi |
Type: |
Producer,Writer,Actor (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Producer,Writer,Actor |
| Products for sale: |
Producer,Writer,Actor |
| Model rank: |
156 |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:02:57 |
| Height: |
6' 0?' (1.84 m) |
| Biography: |
Taika Waititi, also known as Taika Cohen, hails from the Raukokore region of the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand, and is the son of Robin (Cohen), a teacher, and Taika Waititi, an artist and farmer. His father is Maori (Te-Whanau-a |
| Trivia: |
'What We Do in the Shadows' actors hadn't seen the script before and during the making of the film; they had only some directions from Jemaine and Taika and the script was largely improvised.His portrait as Viago, the character from 'What We Do in the Shadows' painted by Freeman White is in the NZ Portrait Gallery in Wellington together with Jemaine Clement's character Vladislav's and Jonathan Brugh's as Deacon.First Indigenous filmmaker to win an Oscar. He follows Buffy Sainte-Marie as the second Indigenous person to win a competitive Oscar.He's from the Maori tribe Te-Whaanau-a-Apanui (the family of Apanui), sub-tribe Te-Whaanau-a-Pararaki (the family of Pararaki).His Dad was a painter and his Mum is a teacher.Taika in Maori means 'Tiger'.One of his inventions was a tie with a hole to button it to the shirt.He met Jemaine Clement at Victoria University of Wellington, later forming the comedy duo, 'The Humourbeasts'.When it comes to the original music for his films, he always collaborates with the Wellington band The Phoenix Foundation who have made the film scores for his three films: 'Eagle vs Shark', 'BOY' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' and Samuel Scott of The Phoenix Foundation was the music editor for 'What We Do in the Shadows'.Taika was inspired to write Two Cars, One Night while hanging out in a g-string, fully waxed for an acting role as a stripper in a TV show 'The Strip' in 2002.Waihau Bay where 'BOY' was filmed is where Taika himself grew up as a child; Boy's home in the film is Taika's aunts' house.He wrote two and directed four episodes of 'Flight of the Conchords' HBO show; he's also has a cameo in the telephone commercial in the episode 'Drive By.'.Earlier in his career he used 'Cohen' for his work as an actor and performer and 'Waititi' as a painter and artist. Now, to avoid confusion he goes by the surname 'Waititi'.Cohen is his mother's surname, Waititi is his father's family name.His father is of Maori descent, with a distant French-Canadian line. Taika's mother is of one quarter Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, from her own paternal grandfather, along with Irish, Scottish, and English.He wrote 'Eagle vs Shark' with his then girlfriend Loren Horsley/Taylor. Jemaine Clement admits it was difficult to film the kissing scene with Loren's boyfriend directing him.In 2013, Taika used empty Nespresso capsules to make a two sided artwork showing the creation story of Wellington Harbour known in Maori as 'Tangi Te Keo'. It can be seen in Nespresso Boutique in Wellington.BOY is actually his first film. Taika started to write it following the success of the short film 'Two Cars One Night'. However, he wanted to make his debut film lighter so he chose to make a romantic comedy 'Eagle vs Shark'.Taika spent two years in Berlin working and exhibiting in the Schliemann 40 House.He went to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002 with Jemaine Clement as 'The Humourbeasts'. Jemaine performed there also with Bret McKenzie as 'Flight of the Conchords'. FOTC became popular and the rest is history.He illustrated Jo Randerson's book of short stories 'The Keys to Hell'.He crafted his stage skills together with 'Flight of the Conchords' at Bats theatre in Wellington which is now owned by Sir Peter Jackson.One of his first TV appearances was playing a surfer in a Moro Bar commercial.Member of the 'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) since 2016.He collaborated with the architectural firm Wraight & Associates on a proposal for Wellington City Council's Wellington Gateway project. He designed a sculpture 'Upoko O Te Ika A Maui'. Unfortunately, "plans for a 35-metre-high illuminated sculpture at the bottom of Ngauranga Gorge have been ditched because of fears for aircraft and of a massive budget blowout." Nevertheless, they won the 2010 New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects Gold Award in Landscape Design Category - Visionary Landscapes.Rhys Darby's Murray Hewitt in FOTC's HBO show wasn't their first mock-manager. Taika was the original 'Flight of the Conchords' manager Larry Pritchard of Larry Pritchard Productions in the mock-report from the Conchords at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002.Taika uses false teeth quite often in his comedy performances: 'The Ordinary Alien' in Radiradirah, Gunter the German "joke" teller in his stand up, vampires in the original 'What We Do in the Shadows' short film, his many characters in 'Falling Leaves', a short film.In 'Eagle vs Shark', Taika plays Jarrod's dead brother Gordon.Directed 1 actress in an Oscar nominated performance: Scarlett Johansson, who was nominated for Jojo Rabbit (2019).He made the music video for Age Pryor's 'Shank's Pony' and cover art for the album.Working titles for BOY were 'Choice' and 'The Volcano'.The music video for The Phoenix Foundation's '40 years' was shot in Lyall Bay on Wellington's South Coast in one single shot using the BAXI bike to carry the camera.Taika means magic in Finnish.James Rolleston was cast two days before shooting 'BOY'.Michael Jackson's nephew, Taj Jackson saw 'BOY' and "really enjoyed it", he "loved the MJ homages and references". |
| Trademarks: |
Often plays a role in his movies.
Often focuses on fathers or father figures.
Often casts Rachel House. |
| Quotes: |
Sundance felt like a natural fit. I love coming here, and I do think that this festival suits my films rather than most of the festivals I've been to. I'm not going to Cannes, you know.
<br />
<hr>
To make filmmaking interesting to me, I want to keep learning things.
<br />
<hr>
Also with that money comes the idea, "Let your imagination run wild." Which I think is a very dangerous thing. I think it's dangerous because you can get into pretty wacky territory. There are things that are too crazy.
<br />
<hr>
I constantly remind myself that there are terrible movies out there. I try to watch them, some of them, to give myself an understanding of what not to do.
<br />
<hr>
Sometimes there are really happy mistakes. |
| Job title: |
Producer,Writer,Actor |
| Spouse: |
Rita Ora (August 2022 - present) Chelsea Winstanley (2011 - present) (divorced, 2 children) |
| Children: |
Matewa Kiritapu WaititiTe Kainga O'Te Hinekahu Waititi |
| Parents: |
Robin Cohen
Maori Waititi |
|
