Taika Waititi made a rare solo appearance without wife Rita Ora on Sunday as he attended the prestigious Peabody Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles.
The filmmaker, 48, was in good company at the event, however, as he walked the red carpet alongside the likes of Rose Byrne, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Stewart and Mel Brooks.
He cut a dapper figure at the event in a navy suit teamed with a light blue Fendi shirt and patent brown brogues.
While Taika was not nominated for this year’s event, last year his film Reservation Dogs scooped an award in the Entertainment category.
Rita was not at the event, no doubt enjoying a night in after she spent Saturday partying with Demi Lovato at Vas J Morgan’s star-studded mental health charity dinner for Pride.
Taika Waititi made a rare solo appearance without wife Rita Ora on Sunday as he attended the prestigious Peabody Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles
Last week, Rita spoke about the difference in herself and Taika’s social circles, admitting the music world was ‘wilder’ than the film one (pictured at the Met Gala last month)
Last week, Rita spoke about the difference in herself and Taika’s social circles.
Speaking on the Table Manners podcast she revealed how their friendship blossomed into romance, explaining: ‘I fancied him but I just didn’t think it was a thing where he fancied me because I thought it was just too crazy for him, too much for him. I don’t know.
‘The film world, I think, is just different to the music world. Pop stars and musicians I think are a bit more wild but then I got to know him and he’s just more wild than anyone I’ve ever met.’
Rita married the New Zealand filmmaker in August 2022 after they started their relationship the previous year.
The couple have a home in New Zealand and Rita has a house still in London.
Elsewhere in the podcast she said she also feels awkward sharing a bed with her husband in New Zealand because his children are in the house.
Taika has two daughters – Te Hinekāhu, 11, and Matewa Kiritapu, eight, from his previous marriage to film producer Chelsea Winstanley.
Rita explained: ‘I guess just the kids, it always is weird I guess. Maybe just for me.’
The filmmaker, 48, was in good company at the event (L-R) pictured with Sterlin Harjo, Bobby Wilson, Tazbah Chavez and Garrett Basch
The likes of Rose Byrne and Patrick Stewart graced the red carpet at the event
Discussing how she and Taika juggle their lives in New Zealand, she added: ‘You know, half of my family and his kids go to school in New Zealand and so, yeah, we’re always there.
‘Auckland, we have a place literally on the water. It’s really nice. I feel like New Zealand is obviously so far, if you make an effort together, it’s a game changer.
‘I’ve done The Voice there obviously for a few years and so, I’ve been there like a big, big, chunk out of my year.
‘I haven’t done it now- I mean, I didn’t do it last year now but yeah, it’s like a home away from home for me. I had really liked Australia and then obviously that’s where I met my husband.
‘It was in Sydney. I was doing The Voice and he was filming Thor Ragnarok and it just yeah, that’s just where we kind of clicked.’
Asked whether she and Taika were ‘set up,’ the singer said: ‘I wouldn’t say set up but we definitely met through a friend, innocently. Like, he was having a barbecue, and my husband loves to just cook.
‘He’s a meaty person so he just put all the meat and it’s just meats and salads and things like that. He’s incredible at steak and things and so he had a barbecue, and a friend of ours, we had a mutual was like, hey, my friends having a barbecue, you wanna come with me?
‘I was like, okay, if he’s okay with it. It’s at his house, we get there and that’s where we met, and then we became friends.’
Rita was not at the event, no doubt enjoying a night in after she spent Saturday partying with (L-R) Demi Lovato, Vas J Morgan, Chloe Sims and Sinead Harnett at a charity dinner for Pride
