Taika Waititi

Also going by the surname Cohen, Taika is of Te- Whanau-a-Apanui descent and hails from the Raukokore region of the East Coast. He has been involved in the arts for several years, as a visual artist, actor, writer and director.

Taika’s first short film, ‘Two Cars, One Night’, was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005. His next short, ‘Tama Tu’ about a group of Maori soldiers in Italy during World War II won a string of international awards, making it also eligible for Oscar nomination.

His first feature, Eagle vs. Shark, was released internationally in 2007 after selling to Miramax on the basis of a trailer. As a performer and comedian, Taika has been involved in some of New Zealand’s most innovative and successful productions. He has a strong background in comedy writing and performing and with fellow comedian
Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), has won New Zealand’s top comedy award, the “Billy T” and also the “Spirit of the Fringe Award” in Edinburgh.

He regularly does stand up gigs around the country and in 2004 launched his solo production; Taika’s Incredible Show which wasn’t that incredible but had a cool poster, which he drew himself. Taika has been critically acclaimed for his dramatic abilities. In 2000 he was nominated for Best Actor at the Nokia Film Awards for his role in the Sarkies Brothers’ film Scarfies.

Mongrel Media