“To me, spending millions of dollars recreating the world's sadness with actors and props and sets - it seems like a kind of arrogant waste of money... Unless, that is, it's a film about an historical event.”

New Zealand filmmaker, writer, actor, and comedian

Taika Waititi, born Taika David Cohen, is a New Zealand filmmaker, writer, actor, and comedian. He has built a career across film and television and is known for work that blends humor with character-driven storytelling. Waititi has received major honors including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Grammy Award. He has also been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and six Emmy Awards, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.