The multihyphenate is one of EW’s 2019 Entertainers of the Year.
Theres a running joke thatTaika Waititican sleep anywhere.
His exhaustion is understandable: When Waititi, 44, is awake, hes practically vibrating with energy.
James Macari for EW
I like to draw so much attention to myself in social spaces, he explains, laughing.
I want to be seen.
Im like, me me me me!
James Macari for EW
To me, its about making decisions that surprise myself, he says.
To go, Why would I do that?
Waititi surprised himself by even becoming a director in the first place.
James Macari for EW
So wed just write our own s-y versions.
I was going to be a very serious and respected director.
Someones broken into his house, and hes gotta get home.
And someone smashed his cell phone.
Because when you put it in terms like that, youre like, Oh, I get that!'
With [Shadows], he says, I was really just asking friends who had computers for favors.
Like, Can you make a bat for us?'
I dont know that much aboutStar Wars,Waititi admits.
I was like, Well, maybe they can have machine gun blasters!
And Jon and Dave went, There are no machine gun blasters inStar Wars, dude.'
(Tessa Thompson and Natalie Portman areconfirmed to returnfor that, along with Waititis mild-mannered rock monster Korg.)
I love ridiculous comedy, he says.
I want to see comedy thatssodumb but also comedy where youre forced to think.
Comedy is a really great way of fighting regimes, and it always has been.
When we were makingShadows, we were halfway through, and Jemaine came up to me, Waititi recalls.
He said, Hey, man.
