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).

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Conan O'Brien, Taika Waititi, and Maaka Pohatu in Conan O'Brien Must Go (2024)

Pedro Pascal and Taika Waititi in The Mandalorian (2019)

Pedro Pascal, Taika Waititi, Katee Sackhoff, and Emily Swallow in The Mandalorian (2019)

Carl Weathers, Pedro Pascal, Taika Waititi, and Shirley Henderson in The Mandalorian (2019)

Taika Waititi, Tait Fletcher, and Simon Kassianides in The Mandalorian (2019)

Taika Waititi and Katee Sackhoff in The Mandalorian (2019)

Carl Weathers, Pedro Pascal, Taika Waititi, and Chris Bartlett in The Mandalorian (2019)

Taika Waititi, Ben Fransham, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Jemaine Clement, Jonny Brugh, and Stu Rutherford in What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Sam Rockwell, Taika Waititi, Scarlett Johansson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Rebel Wilson, Thomasin McKenzie, and Roman Griffin Davis in Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Sam Neill and Julian Dennison in Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Taika Waititi's Roles in Films and Shows He's Directed

Everything We Know About 'Thor: Love and Thunder'

"The Mandalorian" Takes Star Wars to Wild West of Space

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn

Taika Waititi

Taika Waititi

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