Taika Waititi, also known as Taika Cohen, is a native of the Raukokore region on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. He is the son of Robin (Cohen),a dedicated teacher, and Taika Waititi, a talented artist and farmer.
His father, Taika Waititi, is of Maori descent, specifically Te-Whanau-a-Apanui, while his mother, Robin Cohen, has a diverse ancestry, comprising Ashkenazi Jewish, Irish, Scottish, and English roots.
Taika's journey in the film industry began as an actor, and he has since shifted his focus to writing and directing. His first professional filmmaking effort was the short film "Two Cars, One Night", which he completed in 2003.
Following the success of "Two Cars, One Night", Taika went on to direct another short film, "Tama Tu", which revolves around a group of Maori Soldiers stationed in Italy during World War 2.
As a performer and comedian, Taika has been involved in various innovative and successful productions in New Zealand. He regularly performs stand-up comedy in the country and has launched his solo productions, including "Taika's Incredible Show" in 2004 and its sequel "Taika's Incrediblerer Show" in 2005.
Taika has received critical acclaim for his acting abilities, earning a nomination for Best Actor at the Nokia Film Awards in 2000 for his role in the Sarkies Brother's film "Scarfies".
In addition to his work in film and comedy, Taika is also a skilled painter and photographer, having exhibited his work in Wellington and Berlin. He is also a fashion designer and has attended the Sundance Writers Lab with his feature script "Choice", which is loosely based on his short film "Two Cars, One Night".
Taika's directorial career has seen him achieve blockbuster success with his film "Thor: Ragnarok" in 2017, and he received critical acclaim and an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his film "Jojo Rabbit" in 2019.
