Age, Biography, and Wiki
Taika Waititi, born as Taika David Cohen on August 16, 1975, in Wellington, New Zealand, is a multifaceted talent known for his work in film, television, and comedy. He is of Māori and Russian Jewish descent and has been recognized for his contributions to the film industry, including being named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
| Occupation | Film Producer |
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| Date of Birth | 16 August 1975 |
| Age | 49 Years |
| Birth Place | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Horoscope | Leo |
| Country | New Zealand |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Although specific details about Taika Waititi's height and weight are not widely documented, he is generally noted for his distinctive appearance and charismatic presence on screen.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Taika Waititi is married to singer Rita Ora, a British singer-songwriter. The couple has been making headlines since their marriage was announced in 2022.
His father was an artist of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent, while his mother, Robin Cohen, 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.
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 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.
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 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 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 2019, Waititi wrote and directed Jojo Rabbit, based on 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 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.
In 2025, Waititi appeared in season thirteen of The Masked Singer as "Detective Lucky Duck". Like Donnie Wahlberg as "Cluedle-Doo", Detective Lucky Duck gave clues involving each of the contestants. Waititi was revealed to be Lucky Duck in the semi-finals; this surprised his wife Rita Ora, who was one of the panelists.
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.
| Parents | |
| Husband | Chelsea Winstanley (m. 2011-2018) Rita Ora (m. 4 August 2022) |
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Taika Waititi's net worth is estimated to be around $13 million, primarily due to his successful career in film directing and acting. His annual salary is reported to be approximately $3 million, reflecting his active involvement in various high-profile projects.
Career, Business, and Investments
Waititi's career has been marked by his direction of several notable films:
- Eagle vs Shark (2007)
- Boy (2010)
- What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
- Jojo Rabbit (2019)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
- Next Goal Wins (2023)
Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi, is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. Known for quirky comedy films and expanding his career as a voice actor and producer on numerous projects, he has received many accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Grammy Award. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
Identifying as both Māori and Jewish, Waititi describes himself as 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."
Social Network
Taika Waititi is active on social media platforms, where he often engages with fans and shares insights into his creative process. His presence on platforms like Instagram and Twitter allows him to connect directly with his audience and promote his projects.
Waititi's fourth feature, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. When it 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 the final story.
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 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.
Waititi also directed 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 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".
Education
Details about Taika Waititi's educational background are not extensively documented, but his early career was marked by his involvement in theater and comedy, which likely influenced his approach to filmmaking.
In conclusion, Taika Waititi's success in the entertainment industry is a testament to his versatility and creative vision, making him one of the most influential figures in contemporary cinema.
While a student at Victoria University of Wellington, Waititi was part of the five-member comedy ensemble So You're a Man, which toured New Zealand and Australia with some success.
