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55-407: Taika David Cohen ONZM (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( / ˈ t aɪ k ə ˈ w aɪ t ɪ t i / TY -kə WY -tee-tee ), 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 ,

110-480: A BAFTA Award and a Grammy 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. 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

165-445: A Bachelor of Arts in 1997. Although his surname is legally Cohen , Waititi has been known primarily by his father's surname for most of his life. He originally used his mother's surname, Cohen, for his work in film and writing, and his father's, Waititi, for visual arts endeavours. Following the success of his first short film, he continued to use Waititi professionally. While a student at Victoria University of Wellington , Waititi

220-603: 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

275-402: 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 17 November 2023, after Armie Hammer 's scenes were re-shot with Will Arnett taking over the role. The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to negative reviews. Esther Zuckerman of IndieWire praised some of

330-399: A live-action film adaptation of Akira . He was officially confirmed as director and co-writer with Michael Golamco in 2019, with a release date of 21 May 2021. However, the film's production has been on hold due to Waititi's commitments to other projects such as Thor: Love and Thunder . Despite development issues, Waititi has stated that he fully intends on making the film. In 2019, it

385-409: A "Polynesian Jew". He was raised more connected to his Māori roots, in a household where Judaism was not actively practised and identifies as an atheist who "puts more stock in indigenous beliefs." Waititi's parents divorced when he was around five, and he was raised primarily by his mother. He attended Onslow College , then studied theatre at Victoria University of Wellington where he graduated with

440-476: A Dame Grand Companion, formally receiving investiture in 2024 from Prince William . Cohen (surname) Bearing the surname often (although not always) indicates that one's patrilineal ancestors were priests in the Temple of Jerusalem . Although not all Kohenic lines stem from Aaron , the brother of Moses , he is generally regarded as the patriarch of the lineage and the first Kohen. A single such priest

495-470: A Knight Grand Companion himself) restored the honours to their pre-April 2000 state. Principal Companions and Distinguished Companions (85 people in total) were given the option to convert their awards into Knighthoods or Damehoods. The restoration was welcomed by Monarchy New Zealand . The option has been taken up by 72 of those affected, including rugby great Colin Meads . Former Labour MP Margaret Shields

550-473: A Knight or Dame Companion, and thus not to accept the respective appellation of "Sir" or "Dame". The majority of those affected chose the aforereferenced appellations. After initially declining redesignation in 2009, Vincent O'Sullivan and Sam Neill accepted the change in December 2021 and June 2022, respectively. A change to non-titular honours was a recommendation contained within the original report of

605-621: A charity reading of James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl . He portrayed Ratcatcher in the DC superhero film The Suicide Squad , released in August 2021 to positive reviews. Also in August, Waititi portrayed Antwan Hovachelik, the antagonist of the action comedy film Free Guy . With Sterlin Harjo , Waititi co-created the comedy series Reservation Dogs , which chronicles the lives of

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660-514: 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. Waititi executive produced, directed and starred as Blackbeard in the HBO Max comedy series Our Flag Means Death . The first season was released in March 2022. That same year, Time magazine placed him on its annual list of

715-751: A relationship with British singer Rita Ora since 2021. They married in August 2022. 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. 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. In 2021, Waititi's cousin Tweedie Waititi , whom he considers

770-680: A screenplay category, and the first indigenous person to be nominated for and win Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2021 he won the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media as a producer of the Jojo Rabbit soundtrack. 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

825-541: A sibling, began producing and directing Māori language versions of Disney animated films due to Waititi, which she does alongside his former partner Winstanley. In 2023, Waititi was the executive producer on Frybread Face and Me , a film directed by Billy Luther . In 2024, Waititi served as executive producer on We Were Dangerous directed by Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu. Below is a table outlining Waititi's numerous collaborations. Waititi and Clement also worked together on television series Radiradirah and Clement has

880-523: A voice role in Moana , a film for which Waititi wrote the initial screenplay. House also has a voice role in Moana , and had a minor role in Jojo Rabbit which was ultimately cut from the film. Darby and Waititi also worked together on television series Radiradirah . Waititi has received various awards and nominations, including an Academy Award , a British Academy Film Award , a Grammy Award ,

935-736: Is also a Secretary and Registrar (the Clerk of the Executive Council) and a Herald (the New Zealand Herald of Arms) of the Order. There also exist miniatures and lapel badges of the five levels of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Knight/Dames Grand Companion and Knight/Dames Companion are entitled to use the style Sir for males and Dame for females. The order's statutes grant heraldic privileges to members of

990-669: The ACT New Zealand party deriding the PCNZM's initials as standing for "a Politically Correct New Zealand that used to be a Monarchy". The issue of titular honours would appear whenever honours were mentioned. In the lead up to the 2005 general election , Leader of the Opposition Don Brash suggested that should a National-led government be elected, he would reverse Labour's changes and re-introduce knighthoods. In 2009, Prime Minister John Key (later to become

1045-549: 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),

1100-429: The priestly divisions . Being a Kohen imposes some limitations: by Jewish law a Kohen may not marry a divorced woman, and may not marry a proselyte (someone who converted to Judaism). Nor should an observant Kohen come into contact with the dead or enter a cemetery unless for the death of a close relative. An effort to test whether people named 'Cohen' actually have a common genetic origin has been undertaken, using

1155-527: The 100 most influential people in the world . Waititi voiced Mo Morrison in the Pixar film Lightyear (2022). He wrote and directed the superhero film Thor: Love and Thunder , a sequel to Thor: Ragnarok . It released in July 2022. The film received mixed reviews with critic Mark Kermode complained that "the jokes, the catch-phrases [are] just incredibly tired". Richard Brody of The New Yorker described

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1210-589: The 1995 honours committee ( The New Zealand Royal Honours System: The Report of the Prime Minister’s Honours Advisory Committee ) which prompted the creation of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Titular honours were incorporated into the new system before its implementation in 1996 after the National Party caucus and public debate were split as to whether titles should be retained. There has long been debate in New Zealand regarding

1265-706: The Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity. In the order of precedence , the New Zealand Order of Merit ranks immediately after the Order of New Zealand . Prior to 1996, New Zealanders received appointments to various British orders, such as the Order of the Bath , the Order of St Michael and St George , the Order of the British Empire , and the Order of the Companions of Honour , as well as

1320-502: 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 and was successful at the local box office, eclipsing several records. In 2011, Waititi directed New Zealand TV series Super City starring Madeleine Sami , who plays five characters living in one city. That year, Waititi portrayed Thomas Kalmaku in

1375-524: The New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system . It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II , Queen of New Zealand , "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits", to recognise outstanding service to

1430-492: The appropriateness of titles. Some feel it is no longer appropriate as New Zealand has not been a colony since 1907, and to these people titles are out of step with present-day New Zealand. Others feel that titles carry both domestic and international recognition, and that awarded on the basis of merit they remain an appropriate recognition of excellence. In April 2000 the then new Labour Prime Minister, Helen Clark , announced that knighthoods and damehoods had been abolished and

1485-488: 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. Waititi received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay . He won the latter, making him the first person of Māori descent to win an Academy Award in

1540-531: The distinction of Knight Bachelor . The change came about after the Prime Minister's Honours Advisory Committee (1995) was created "to consider and present options and suggestions on the structure of a New Zealand Royal Honours System in New Zealand, which is designed to recognise meritorious service, gallantry and bravery and long service". The monarch of New Zealand is the Sovereign of the order and

1595-451: The film was commissioned in May 2018, with Waititi as an executive producer and director. The series of the same name premiered on FX in March 2019; its second season received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series . Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Waititi's fourth feature, Hunt for the Wilderpeople , premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. When it

1650-711: The film with Loren Horsley . That year, Waititi wrote and directed one episode of the TV show Flight of the Conchords and directed another. In 2010, he acted in the New Zealand TV3 improv sketch comedy show Radiradirah , together with frequent collaborators Rhys Darby and Jemaine Clement . His second feature, Boy , premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2010, and was nominated for

1705-419: The film writing "The film passes through the nervous system without delivering any sustenance or even leaving a residue." 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." Waititi also directed

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1760-552: The final story. 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. That year, he directed his first major studio film, Marvel Studios 's Thor: Ragnarok , which was released in October. He also portrayed the alien Korg via motion capture in the film. He had previously directed a short film series for Marvel called Team Thor , chronicling

1815-603: The first and second level, who are entitled to have the Order's circlet ("a green circle, edged gold, and inscribed with the Motto of the Order in gold") surrounding their shield. Grand Companions are also entitled to heraldic supporters . The Chancellor is entitled to supporters and a representation of the Collar of the Order around his/her shield. The following contains the names of the small number of living Distinguished Companions (DCNZM) who chose not to convert their appointment to

1870-445: The five levels, there are three different types of membership. Ordinary membership is limited to citizens of New Zealand or a Commonwealth realm . "Additional" members, appointed on special occasions, are not counted in the numerical limits. People who are not citizens of a Commonwealth realm are given "Honorary" membership; if they subsequently adopt citizenship of a Commonwealth realm they are eligible for Additional membership. There

1925-508: The governor-general is its Chancellor. Appointments are made at five levels: From 2000 to 2009, the two highest levels of the Order were Principal Companion (PCNZM) and Distinguished Companion (DCNZM), without the appellation of "Sir" or "Dame". The number of Knights and Dames Grand Companion (and Principal Companions) is limited to 30 living people. Additionally, new appointments are limited to 15 Knights or Dames Companion, 40 Companions, 80 Officers and 140 Members per year. As well as

1980-465: 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 produced the comedy drama series Reservation Dogs , and directed, produced, and starred in the comedy Our Flag Means Death . In addition to directing an episode of

2035-500: The lives of Thor and his roommate, Darryl Jacobson. Thor: Ragnarok earned critical praise and was successful at the box office. 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 . Jojo Rabbit (2019) In 2019, Waititi wrote and directed Jojo Rabbit , based on

2090-593: The order's statutes amended. From 2000 to 2009, the two highest levels of the Order were Principal Companion (PCNZM) and Distinguished Companion (DCNZM), without the appellation of "Sir" or "Dame"; appointment to all levels of the Order were recognised solely by the use of post-nominal letters. A National Business Review poll in February 2000 revealed that 54% of New Zealanders thought the titles should be scrapped. The Labour Government's April 2000 changes were criticised by opposition parties, with Richard Prebble of

2145-427: The performances but labeled it as "largely a misfire". Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as "a shoddily made and strikingly unfunny attempt to tell an interesting story in an uninteresting way". In 2017, Waititi stated he was working on a sequel to What We Do In The Shadows titled We're Wolves . As of 2023, there have been no updates on the project. That same year, Taika Waititi entered talks to direct

2200-651: 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 . Taika David Cohen was born on 16 August 1975 in Wellington , and grew up in Wellington's Aro Valley suburb and Raukokore , a small town in the Bay of Plenty . His father was an artist of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, while his mother, Robin Cohen,

2255-556: 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 was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short in 2005. (It lost the award to the short Wasp (2003).) His first feature film was a romantic comedy, Eagle vs Shark . It was released in US theatres for limited distribution in 2007. Waititi co-wrote

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2310-516: The story of a lone Mandalorian gunfighter in the period between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens . The series premiered on 12 November 2019; Waititi also voices a droid bounty hunter named IG-11 in the series. He directed the series' first-season finale, " Chapter 8: Redemption ". His voiceover work earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance in 2020. In 2020, Waititi narrated

2365-505: The superhero feature film Green Lantern . 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. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014. Waititi and Clement played members of a group of vampires who live in an appropriately gothic house in modern-day Wellington. A television adaptation of

2420-463: 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. Officer of

2475-492: Was a schoolteacher of multiple ethnicities. His mother's paternal grandfather was a Russian Jew whose family came from Novozybkov, Russia . 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 ". His paternal grandfather, also named Taika, served as a Māori Battalion soldier during World War II. Identifying as both Māori and Jewish, Waititi describes himself as

2530-586: Was announced that Waititi would adapt The Incal into a feature film. 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. In 2023, it was announced that he would direct a film adaptation of the novel Klara and the Sun , intending on making it his next movie after Next Goal Wins . After rumors began circulating in late 2019 and early 2020, it

2585-561: Was announced that Waititi would direct an animated Flash Gordon movie for 20th Century Studios . Though in 2021, it was revealed that the movie is now live action. 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 co-wrote the pilot alongside frequent collaborators Jemaine Clement and Iain Morris . In 2020, Waititi

2640-561: 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. In 2021, it was announced that Waititi would executive produce and direct the Showtime limited series The Auteur starring Jude Law . The same year, it

2695-701: Was known as a Kohen, and the hereditary caste descending from these priests is collectively known as the Kohanim . As multiple languages were acquired through the Jewish diaspora , the surname acquired dozens of variants . Not all persons with related surnames are kohanim, and not all kohanim have related surnames. Some Kohanim have added a secondary appellation to their surname, so as to distinguish themselves from other Kohanim—such as Cohen-Scali of Morocco, who trace their lineage to Zadok , and Cohen-Maghari (Meguri) of Yemen, who trace their lineage to Jehoiarib , one of

2750-686: 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

2805-478: Was now writing the film alone. The film was reported to start filming in 2024. 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 . He met New Zealand film producer Chelsea Winstanley in 2010. They got married in 2011; together, they have two daughters, Te Hinekahu and Matewa Kiritapu. Waititi and Winstanley quietly separated in 2018. Waititi has been in

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2860-417: Was officially announced on May 4 , 2020 that Taika Waititi would direct and co-write a Star Wars movie with Krysty Wilson-Cairns . In 2022, Kathleen Kennedy stated that the film would most likely come out before Patty Jenkins ' Rogue Squadron . In 2023, reports stated that Waititi was looking to star in the film. The next month, Kennedy stated that Waititi's film is still in development and that he

2915-761: Was one of those who accepted a Damehood, despite receiving a letter from former Prime Minister Helen Clark "setting out why Labour had abolished the titles and saying she hoped she would not accept one". Clark's senior deputy, Michael Cullen , also accepted a knighthood. Appointments continued when Labour returned to government in 2017 as the Sixth Labour Government . The 2018 New Year Honours included seven knights and dames. The government did not comment on its position regarding knighthoods and damehoods, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern did specifically congratulate two women on becoming Dames Companion. On leaving office in 2023, Ardern accepted appointment as

2970-403: Was part of the five-member comedy ensemble So You're a Man , which toured New Zealand and Australia with some success. He and Jemaine Clement , as the comedy duo The Humourbeasts, received New Zealand's highest comedy accolade, the Billy T Award , in 1999. Among a variety of artistic interests, Waititi began making comical short films for New Zealand's annual 48Hours film contest. He directed

3025-446: Was released in New Zealand, the comedy adventure broke Waititi's record for a New Zealand film in its opening weekend. 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 wilderness. Waititi wrote the initial screenplay for the 2016 Disney film Moana , which focused on gender and family. Those elements were passed over in favour of what became

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