The Funny Reason Taika Waititi Says He’s Never Worked a Day in His Life
Writing and directing not one but two Thor movies would seem like hard work to any normal person. Not to Taika Waititi, though. Despite creating several cult favorites such as What We Do in the Shadows and anticipated blockbusters like the next Star Wars movie, Waititi says he’s never worked a day in his life. The New Zealand actor, writer, director, producer, and painter has a surprisingly funny reason for being the “…laziest actor you’ll ever, ever come across.”
Taika Waititi says he’s lazy, but Time says he’s influential
Not everyone would agree with Taika Waititi’s claim of laziness. Time Magazine has listed him as one of the 100 most influential people of 2022, applauding Waititi’s ability to express his unique voice in all his works.
Fellow Hollywood star Sacha Baron Cohen says, “He tells stories that are utterly watchable, even when they’re sad, or satirical. And they are always funny.”
Starting his career as a stand-up comic while he was still in college, it’s easy to recognize his quirky humor that helped save the Thor franchise and brings levity to traditionally serious characters (who would have thought Black Beard in HBO’s hit show Our Flag Means Death could be funny?).
Waititi filmed a Wired Autocomplete Interview
With Taika Waititi’s growing popularity, it was only reasonable that WIRED would ask him to participate in its famous Autocomplete Interview. The magazine’s video series has over 200 celebrities answering the internet’s top questions about themselves, and most–like Waititi–have a little fun with it. With questions hitting all the Five Ws, there are plenty of opportunities for laughs.
Waititi may not have been entirely joking as he struggled to remember his character’s name from The Mandalorian and responded to the question with, “This is really revealing for me. I don’t think I’ve actually worked a day in my life.”
Why Taika Waititi says he’s never worked a day in his life
It’s not actually the memory loss that’s got Taika Waititi ashamed–with a repertoire growing as quickly as his, it’s understandable that a few names would be forgotten. It’s the fact that he doesn’t have to try with any of his roles that’s got him blushing. All of his characters sound fairly similar.
“I just did my own accent. That’s my range. My range is me,” he said in the interview. “I don’t try. And I’m successful, so….”
Fans know the sly grin and shrug that follows only reiterates that the comedic genius is simply having fun, as he does with all of his work.
Fans know he’s not lazy
It takes dedication to produce high-quality and engaging movies and television shows, and with 52,000 likes on the Autocomplete Interview, the fans trust that Taika Waititi’s giving it his all. If anyone had doubts about his work ethic, those would be quelled after he received an Oscar in 2020 for Best Adapted Screenplay; although, in his Autocomplete Interview, he’ll say he won the award for ripping off a book.
Taika Waititi’s a funny guy to the end
For a man who can joke even as he receives the first Oscar ever given to a person of indigenous descent, it should be no surprise that he would take a lighthearted approach to his working life. In an interview with Vanity Fair after the awards ceremony, Taika Waititi said, “I’ve always used humor to present my ideas….” With several shows lined up on Waititi’s docket, we’re sure to enjoy that humor for many years to come.
