Taika waititi biography of donald

Taika Waititi

New Zealand filmmaker, actor most important comedian (born 1975)

Taika David CohenONZM (born 16 August 1975), household professionally as Taika Waititi (TY-kə WY-tee-tee),[1] is a New Sjaelland filmmaker, actor and comedian. Agreed is known for directing wayout comedy films and has expansive his career as a part actor and producer on many projects.

He has received frequent accolades including an Academy Furnish, a BAFTA Award and unornamented Grammy Award. Time magazine name him one of the Century most influential people in honourableness world in 2022.

His street films Boy (2010) and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) own each been the top-grossing Different Zealand film.[2][3] Waititi's 2003 consequently film Two Cars, One Night earned him an Academy Accolade nomination for Best Live Gauge Short Film.

He co-wrote, co-directed and starred in the revulsion comedy film What We Enact in the Shadows (2014) farm Jemaine Clement, which was cut out for into a television series elect the same name in 2019.

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The series has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Farce Series.

His directing credits prolong the superhero films Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love contemporary Thunder (2022) as well tempt the black comedy film Jojo Rabbit (2019), the last aristocratic which he also wrote captain starred in as an make-believe version of Adolf Hitler.

Jojo Rabbit received six Academy Honour nominations and won Best Altered Screenplay. Waititi also earned copperplate Grammy Award for producing prestige film's soundtrack.

In television, Waititi co-created and produced the humour drama series Reservation Dogs, come to rest directed, produced, and starred prosperous the comedy Our Flag Whirl Death.

In addition to guiding an episode of the leanto The Mandalorian, he also vocal the character IG-11, for which he was nominated for position Primetime Emmy Award for Unattended to Character Voice-Over Performance.

Early life

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

His father was an artist of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, while his mother, Thrush Cohen,[10] was a schoolteacher gaze at multiple ethnicities.[11] His mother's fond grandfather was a Russian Israelite whose family came from Novozybkov, Russia.[7] Waititi stated that tiara mother's family were Russian Someone, Irish, and other European ethnicities, while his father's side was "Māori and a little business of French Canadian".[12] His fatherly grandfather, also named Taika, served as a Māori Battalion combatant during World War II.[13]

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

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

Although his last name is legally Cohen, Waititi has been known primarily by father's surname for most suffer defeat his life.[5][6] He originally spineless his mother's surname, Cohen, storeroom his work in film famous writing, and his father's, Waititi, for visual arts endeavours.[4][20] Multitude the success of his eminent short film, he continued work to rule use Waititi professionally.[21]

Career

1999–2011: Early lifetime and film debut

While a schoolgirl at Victoria University of Solon, Waititi was part of rank five-member comedy ensemble So You're a Man, which toured Newborn Zealand and Australia with thick-skinned success.[22]

He and Jemaine Clement, gorilla the comedy duo The Humourbeasts, received New Zealand's highest humour accolade, the Billy T Grant, in 1999.[23] Among a style of artistic interests, Waititi began making comical short films lead to New Zealand's annual 48Hours vinyl contest.[24] He directed the hence film Two Cars, One Night (2003) which involves two pubescent boys and a girl tip in the carpark of calligraphic rural pub in Te Kaha, New Zealand.

The short justified acclaim and was nominated sales rep the Academy Award for Utter Live Action Short in 2005.[25] (It lost the award terminate the short Wasp (2003).)

His first feature film was uncluttered romantic comedy, Eagle vs Shark. It was released in Set apart theatres for limited distribution mass 2007.[26] Waititi co-wrote the single with Loren Horsley.[27] That harvest, Waititi wrote and directed single episode of the TV high up Flight of the Conchords near directed another.[28] In 2010, soil acted in the New Seeland TV3 improv sketch comedy puton Radiradirah, together with frequent collaborators Rhys Darby and Jemaine Clement.[29] His second feature, Boy, premiered at the Sundance Film Anniversary in January 2010,[30] and was nominated for the Grand Substitute Prize.

Waititi also took given of the main roles, despite the fact that the ex-con father who proceeds to his family. On secure release in New Zealand, Boy received enthusiastic reviews[31] and was successful at the local coffer office, eclipsing several records.[32]

In 2011, Waititi directed New Zealand Idiot box series Super City starring Madeleine Sami, who plays five code living in one city.[33] Renounce year, Waititi portrayed Thomas Kalmaku in the superhero feature ep Green Lantern.[34]

2013–2019: Career breakthrough be proof against expansion

What We Do in rectitude Shadows (2013)

In 2013, Waititi co-wrote, co-directed and acted in illustriousness vampire comedy mockumentaryWhat We Dance in the Shadows with Clement.[35] It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014.[36] Waititi and Clement played helpers of a group of vampires who live in an fittingly gothic house in modern-day Wellington.[37] A television adaptation of honourableness film was commissioned in Could 2018, with Waititi as tone down executive producer and director.[38] Description series of the same fame premiered on FX in Amble 2019;[39] its second season acknowledged a Primetime Emmy Award meeting for Outstanding Comedy Series.[40]

Hunt form the Wilderpeople (2016)

Waititi's fourth spar, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Coating Festival.[41] When it was unbound in New Zealand, the facetiousness adventure broke Waititi's record supplement a New Zealand film make real its opening weekend.[42] Based fix on a book by Barry Scranch, it centres on a leafy boy (played by Julian Dennison) and a grumpy man (played by Sam Neill) on righteousness run in the wilderness.

Waititi wrote the initial screenplay solution the 2016 Disney film Moana,[43] which focused on gender status family. Those elements were passed over in favour of what became the final story.[44][45]

Phenomenon films

In 2017, Waititi won the award for New Dane of the Year, but was unable to receive it make out person due to work commitments.[46] That year, he directed diadem first major studio film, Occurrence exception Studios's Thor: Ragnarok, which was released in October.[47][48] He besides portrayed the alien Korg facet motion capture in the film.[49] He had previously directed deft short film series for Incident called Team Thor, chronicling probity lives of Thor and ruler roommate, Darryl Jacobson.[50]Thor: Ragnarok fair critical praise and was happen as expected at the box office.[51][52] Waititi was later consulted by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely album Thor's storylines for Avengers: Everlastingness War, to maintain the character's consistency in the Marvel Lifelike Universe.[53][54]

Jojo Rabbit (2019)

In 2019, Waititi wrote and directed Jojo Rabbit, based on the spot on Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, the 1940s-set story of excellent child in the Hitler Young days adolescent whose mother is secretly spanking a Jewish girl in their home.

Waititi plays a humorous version of Adolf Hitler bit the boy's imaginary friend.[55] Waititi received Academy Award nominations patron Best Picture and Best Right Screenplay. He won the latter,[56][57] making him the first human race of Māori descent to amplify an Academy Award in capital screenplay category, and the be foremost indigenous person to be designated for and win Best Cut out for Screenplay.[58] In 2021 he won the Grammy Award for First Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Telecommunications as a producer of goodness Jojo Rabbit soundtrack.[59]

The Mandalorian

In Oct 2018, Lucasfilm announced that Waititi would be one of authority directors of the Star Wars live-action streaming series The Mandalorian, which tells the story hint at a lone Mandalorian gunfighter copy the period between the handiwork of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.[60] Honourableness series premiered on 12 Nov 2019; Waititi also voices clever droid bounty hunter named IG-11 in the series.[61] He obligated the series' first-season finale, "Chapter 8: Redemption".[62] His voiceover go earned him a Primetime Honour Award nomination for Outstanding Dusk Voice-Over Performance in 2020.[40]

2020–present

In 2020, Waititi narrated a charity orientation of James and the Goliath Peach by Roald Dahl.[63] Recognized portrayed Ratcatcher in the DC superhero film The Suicide Squad, released in August 2021 gap positive reviews.[64][65] Also in Respected, Waititi portrayed Antwan Hovachelik, decency antagonist of the action drollery film Free Guy.[66]

With Sterlin Harjo, Waititi co-created the comedy mound Reservation Dogs, which chronicles grandeur lives of a group advance indigenous Oklahoma teens, and comprises a main cast, directors, producers, and writers of indigenous peoples.

It premiered on FX post received positive reviews.[67][68] Waititi provided that produced, directed and starred bring in Blackbeard in the HBO Expansion comedy series Our Flag Strategic Death.[69] The first season was released in March 2022.[70] Put off same year, Time magazine fib him on its annual splash of the 100 most winning people in the world.[71] Waititi voiced Mo Morrison in picture Pixar film Lightyear (2022).[72]

He wrote and directed the superhero coat Thor: Love and Thunder, precise sequel to Thor: Ragnarok.[73] Surge released in July 2022.[74] Rectitude film received mixed reviews collect critic Mark Kermode complained delay "the jokes, the catch-phrases [are] just incredibly tired".[75]Richard Brody bring to an end The New Yorker described goodness film writing "The film passes through the nervous system destitute delivering any sustenance or regular leaving a residue."[76] In their way mixed review from NPR, Scandal Nicholson added "I was actually compelled by the ideas Taika Waititi was teasing in that film, but the actual have round of it – the fervency to please – made cast take a step back foreigner everything.

[But] what he's discussing is really smart."[77]

Waititi also bound a feature film adaptation type the documentary Next Goal Wins prior to directing Thor: Attraction and Thunder. The film, which had been delayed, was out on 17 November 2023,[78] subsequently Armie Hammer's scenes were re-shot with Will Arnett taking chief the role.[79][80][81] The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto Ecumenical Film Festival to negative reviews.

Esther Zuckerman of IndieWire eternal some of the performances on the contrary labeled it as "largely on the rocks misfire".[82]Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as "a disreputably made and strikingly unfunny stab to tell an interesting piece in an uninteresting way".[83]

In 2024, Waititi directed and co-wrote greatness pilot episode of a mob adaptation of the Terry Gilliam film, Time Bandits, alongside familiar collaborators Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris.[84] In 2024, Waititi predestined the pilot and executive emerge b be published a television adaptation of excellence Charles Yu novel, Interior Chinatown, starring Jimmy O.

Yang.[85]

Upcoming projects

In 2017, Waititi stated he was working on a sequel indicate What We Do In Grandeur Shadows titled We're Wolves.[86] Despite the fact that of 2023, there have archaic no updates on the enterprise. That same year, Taika Waititi entered talks to direct regular live-action film adaptation of Akira.[87] He was officially confirmed although director and co-writer with Archangel Golamco in 2019, with practised release date of 21 May well 2021.[88] However, the film's manufacture has been on hold franchise to Waititi's commitments to bug projects such as Thor: Passion and Thunder.[89] Despite development issues, Waititi has stated that take action fully intends on making prestige film.[90]

In 2019, it was declared that Waititi would direct scheme animated Flash Gordon movie form 20th Century Studios.[91] Though take on 2021, it was revealed range the movie is now survive action.[92]

In 2020, Waititi was declared to be attached to commit to paper, direct and executive produce figure animated series for Netflix homespun on Roald Dahl's children's different Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its sequel, one adapting the novels and the spanking focused on the novel's Oompa Loompa characters.[93]

After rumors began general in late 2019 and indeed 2020, it was officially declared on May 4, 2020 that Taika Waititi would direct and co-write a Star Wars movie accurate Krysty Wilson-Cairns.[94] In 2022, Kathleen Kennedy stated that the fell would most likely come organize before Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron.[95] In 2023, reports stated lose one\'s train of thought Waititi was looking to familiarity in the film.[96] The press on month, Kennedy stated that Waititi's film is still in get up and that he was compressed writing the film alone.[97] Character film was reported to originate filming in 2024.[98]

In 2021, side was announced that Waititi would executive produce and direct picture Showtime limited series The Auteur starring Jude Law.[99] The exact year, it was announced defer Waititi would adapt The Incal into a feature film.[100] Be of advantage to 2023, it was announced wander he would direct a ep adaptation of the novel Klara and the Sun, intending swagger making it his next talking picture after Next Goal Wins.[101]

Personal life

Waititi was in a relationship pick New Zealand actress and author Loren Horsley for ten majority.

She co-wrote and acted in vogue his directorial debut, Eagle vs Shark.[27]

He met New Zealand pick up producer Chelsea Winstanley in 2010. They got married in 2011; together, they have two spawn, Te Hinekahu and Matewa Kiritapu. Waititi and Winstanley quietly distributed in 2018.[102]

Waititi has been pledge a relationship with British chanteuse Rita Ora since 2021.[103][104][105][106] They married in August 2022.[107][108][109]

Support fulfill indigenous artists

Waititi incorporates his Māori and indigenous heritage into coronate projects, such as by plus indigenous interns and having customary owners conduct a Welcome support Country ceremony during the uncluttered of filming on set come to terms with Australia.[110] He is an office producer of the New Seeland films The Breaker Upperers (2018), Baby Done (2020), and Night Raiders (2021), all directed soak Māori or indigenous filmmakers.[73] Force 2021, Waititi's cousin Tweedie Waititi, whom he considers a sibling,[111] began producing and directing Māori language versions of Disney active films due to Waititi, which she does alongside his erstwhile partner Winstanley.[112] In 2023, Waititi was the executive producer push for Frybread Face and Me, graceful film directed by Billy Luther.[113] In 2024, Waititi served by reason of executive producer on We Were Dangerous directed by Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu.[114]

Filmography

Main article: Taika Waititi filmography

Collaborators

Below is a table outlining Waititi's numerous collaborations.

Waititi and Fair also worked together on throng series Radiradirah and Clement has a voice role in Moana, a film for which Waititi wrote the initial screenplay. Manor also has a voice character in Moana, and had elegant minor role in Jojo Rabbit which was ultimately cut get round the film.[115] Darby and Waititi also worked together on journos series Radiradirah.

Awards and nominations

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

Waititi has received various awards survive nominations, including an Academy Purse, a British Academy Film Present, a Grammy Award, a Writers Guild of America Award, come first nominations for the Golden Area Awards and Primetime Emmy Bays, among others.

Together with Jemaine Clement, Waititi won the League together T Award in 1999. Con 2005, Waititi received a election for the Academy Award look after Best Live Action Short Hide for the short film Two Cars, One Night (2004). Regulate 2019, he wrote and obliged the comedy-drama film Jojo Rabbit, which was met with depreciative acclaim and earned him high-mindedness Academy Award for Best Equipped Screenplay, the BAFTA Award lead to Best Adapted Screenplay, and nominations for the Academy Award teach Best Picture, the Golden Sphere Award for Best Musical haul Comedy Film and the Employers Guild of America Award mean Outstanding Directing in a Beam Film.

For the soundtrack lose the film, he won blue blood the gentry Grammy Award for Best Compendium Soundtrack for Visual Media.

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

In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Laurels, Waititi was appointed an Officebearer of the New Zealand Train of Merit, for services raise film.[116]

See also

References