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Taika Waititi Biography

Birth Name:Taika David Waititi

Birth Place:Wellington, New Zealand

Profession Actor, Director, Writer, Producer, Soundtrack, Casting director, Assistant director, Script department

Fast Facts

  • Received the 2011 Victoria Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Was named the 2017 New Zealander of the Year
  • Won the 1999 Bill T․ Award
  • Graduated from Victoria University of Wellington
  • Started out as a member of the comedy group So You're a Man
  • Frequently works on projects with writer Jemaine Clement
  • Formed the comedy duo Humourbeasts

Awards

  • 2003Film Award-Best Short Film: nominated
  • 2003Film Award-Best Short Film Screenplay: winner
  • 2004Short Award-: winner
  • 2004Award of the Amiens Jailhouse-Female Prisoners: winner
  • 2004Audience Award-Best Short Film: winner
  • 2004Golden Unicorn-Best Short Film: winner
  • 2004Jury Award-Best Drama: winner
  • 2004Panorama Short Film Award-: winner
  • 2004Hamburg Short Film Award-: winner
  • 2004Award of the Theatre Owners-: winner
  • 2004Short Film Competition Award-Best Short Film: Live Action: winner
  • 2005Oscar-Best Short Film, Live Action: nominated
  • 2005The Ellen - Distinctive Achievement-: winner
  • 2005Panorama Special Jury Short Film Award-: winner
  • 2005Jury Prize-Best of the Fest: winner
  • 2005Grand Jury Prize-Best Short: winner
  • 2005Jury Award-Best Live Action Over 15 Minutes: winner
  • 2005Best Short Film-: winner
  • 2005Short Filmmaking Award - Honorable Mention-: winner
  • 2005New Directors/New Visions Award-: winner
  • 2007Feature Film Award-Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking - Comedy: winner
  • 2007Jury Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2007Special Jury Award-: winner
  • 2007Grand Jury Prize-World Cinema - Dramatic: nominated
  • 2007International New Talent Competition - Grand Prize-: nominated
  • 2007Film Discovery Jury Award-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2008Film Award-Best Screenplay in Film: nominated
  • 2008Film Award-Best Picture - Budget over $1 Million: nominated
  • 2008Film Award-Achievement in Directing in Film: winner
  • 2008WGA Award (TV)-Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2008WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2010Audience Award-Best International Feature Film: winner
  • 2010Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk Grand Prix-Best Feature Film: winner
  • 2010Jury Award-Best Dramatic Feature: winner
  • 2010Most Popular Feature Film-: winner
  • 2010Film Award-Best Director in a Film Feature: winner
  • 2010Film Award-Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film: winner
  • 2010Film Award-Best Screenplay for a Feature Film: winner
  • 2010Grand Jury Prize-World Cinema - Dramatic: nominated
  • 2010Audience Award-Best Feature Film: winner
  • 2010International New Talent Competition - Grand Prize-: nominated
  • 2010International New Talent Competition - Special Mention-: winner
  • 2014Crystal Bear-Generation 14plus - Best Film: nominated
  • 2014Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2014People's Choice Award-Best Narrative Feature: nominated
  • 2014Narcisse Award-Best Feature Film: nominated
  • 2014Audience Award-: winner
  • 2014Audience Award-Best Feature Film: winner
  • 2014Special Mention-: winner
  • 2014Just Film Award-Best Youth Film: nominated
  • 2014Audience Award-: winner
  • 2014Prize of the City of Torino-Best Feature Film: nominated
  • 2014Jury Prize-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2014People's Choice Award-Midnight Madness: winner
  • 2014Audience Award-Feature Film: winner
  • 2015Bram Stoker Award-Screenplay: nominated
  • 2015Honorable Mention-Artistic Contribution - International Film: winner
  • 2015Lost Weekend Award-Lost Weekend Audience Favorite: winner
  • 2015Fright Meter Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 2015Fright Meter Award-Best Actor: nominated
  • 2015SDFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
  • 2015Audience's Award-: winner
  • 2016Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2016Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
  • 2016Emeric Pressburger Prize-(none): nominated
  • 2016Audience Award-: winner
  • 2016Best International Feature Film-: nominated
  • 2016Chainsaw Award-Best Limited-Release/Direct-to-Video Film: winner
  • 2016Chainsaw Award-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2016Audience Award-Best European / North-South American Feature: winner
  • 2016Lost Weekend Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2016Lost Weekend Award-Lost Weekend Audience Favorite: winner
  • 2016Feature Film Award-Best International Film: winner
  • 2016Festival Prize-Best International Feature Film: winner
  • 2016Audience Award-Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2016Award of the Ecumenical Jury-Best International Feature Film: winner
  • 2016Award of the Junior Jury-Best International Feature Film in the Category "Junior Film": winner
  • 2016Audience Award-Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2016SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2016Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2016Golden Space Needle Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2016Futurewave Youth Jury Award-: nominated
  • 2016Audience Award-Best Narrative Feature: winner
  • 2016Best Feature-: winner
  • 2017Empire Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2017Empire Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 2017Film Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2017NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2017WAFCA Award-Best Motion Capture Performance: nominated
  • 2018Dragon Award-Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie: nominated
  • 2018Empire Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2018Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form: nominated
  • 2018MTV Movie + TV Award-Scene Stealer: nominated
  • 2018Teen Choice Award-Choice: Scene Stealer: nominated
  • 2019Audience Award-Special Mention: winner
  • 2019Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): nominated
  • 2019CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019Audience Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2019DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2019DFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019Audience Award-: nominated
  • 2019FFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019GWNYFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019Audience Award-Best Feature: winner
  • 2019Temps Ø People's Choice Award-: nominated
  • 2019NFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2019OFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019OAFFC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2019PCC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2019PCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019PFCS Award-Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material: winner
  • 2019SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019SDFCS Award-Best Comedic Performance: nominated
  • 2019SFBAFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2019Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
  • 2019Satellite Award-Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: nominated
  • 2019SLFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2019SLFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019Grolsch People's Choice Award-: winner
  • 2019Dorfman Best Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2019UFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019VHS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2019WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020AACTA International Award-Best Screenplay: winner
  • 2020Oscar-Best Motion Picture of the Year: nominated
  • 2020Oscar-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2020Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2020EDA Award-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020AFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020ACCA-Best Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2020BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay (Adapted): winner
  • 2020CIC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020CIC Award-Best Independent Film: nominated
  • 2020Cinema for Peace Award-Cinema for Peace Award for The Most Valuable Film of the Year: nominated
  • 2020COFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020Critics Choice Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020DFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2020DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
  • 2020GAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
  • 2020Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020Gold Derby Film Award-Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2020HFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020HCA Award-Best Male Director: nominated
  • 2020HCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2020Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form: nominated
  • 2020Humanitas Prize-Comedy Feature Film: winner
  • 2020MCFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020Best Comedy or Entertainment Programme-: winner
  • 2020NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2020OFTA Television Award-Best Voice-Over Performance in a Animated Program: nominated
  • 2020OFTA Film Award-Best Picture: nominated
  • 2020OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
  • 2020OFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
  • 2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2020USC Scripter Award-Film: nominated
  • 2020WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2020WGA Award (Screen)-Adapted Screenplay: winner
  • 2021Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): nominated
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Supporting Actor - International Competition: nominated
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Ensemble - International Competition: winner
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Film - International Competition: winner
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - International Competition: winner
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Duo - International Competition: nominated
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Director - International Competition: nominated
  • 2021CinEuphoria-Best Screenplay - International Competition: nominated
  • 2021Cinema Brazil Grand Prize-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
  • 2021Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Series - Shortform: winner
  • 2021Grammy-Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: winner
  • 2021PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy: nominated
  • 2021Critics' Choice Award-: winner
  • 2022Independent Spirit Award-Best New Scripted Series: winner
  • 2022Gold Derby TV Award-Comedy Supporting Actor: nominated
  • 2022Gold Derby TV Award-Comedy Guest Actor: nominated
  • 2022HCA Award-Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Comedy: nominated
  • 2022HCA Award-Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy: nominated
  • 2022HCA Award-Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Comedy: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2022WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2022WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Comedy: nominated
  • 2023Golden Panda Award-Best Director for a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2023Golden Panda Award-Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2023Peabody Award-Entertainment: nominated
  • 2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Comedy Series: nominated