The spotlight usually finds Taika Waititi front and center. Between directing Hollywood blockbusters like “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Jojo Rabbit,” winning an Oscar for his screenplay, and charming audiences with his signature blend of quirky humor and heartfelt storytelling, the New Zealand filmmaker has become a global phenomenon. But lately, there’s another star warming the glow beside him: his wife, the electrifying singer-songwriter Rita Ora.
And while Waititi might be used to basking in the limelight, his latest role has him gleefully stepping into the shadows – or, at least, playfully reframing it as a sidekick position. On Rita Ora’s recent world tour, Waititi wasn’t just the supportive husband cheering from the sidelines. He was, as he declared with mock seriousness, her “official tour sidekick.”
This wasn’t just a cutesy title. Waititi was omnipresent throughout the tour, a whirlwind of creative energy and infectious enthusiasm. He’d pop up on stage during soundchecks, cracking jokes and making the crew howl with laughter. He’d be spotted backstage, sketching caricatures of the band members or brainstorming costume ideas with Rita. And during the actual shows, he’d be front and center, dancing like nobody was watching, singing along (hilariously off-key, of course), and cheering Rita on with the unbridled fervor of a superfan.
“He’s my biggest hype man,” Rita gushes during an interview, her eyes sparkling with adoration. “He’s always there, always got my back, always knows how to make me laugh even when I’m freaking out before a show.”
Their dynamic is fascinating to watch. Rita, the glamorous pop queen, commanding the stage with her powerhouse vocals and electrifying dance moves. And then there’s Taika, the shaggy-haired, barefoot jester, bouncing around like a human pogo stick, his face alight with pure, unadulterated joy. They’re an unlikely pair, a yin and yang of celebrity existence, yet their connection is undeniable.
There’s a genuine sweetness to their partnership, a refreshing absence of the carefully curated, picture-perfect facade that often plagues celebrity couples. They’re unapologetically themselves, two goofballs in love having a blast on a global adventure. Waititi might be content to call himself Rita’s sidekick, but it’s clear he’s much more than that. He’s her cheerleader, her confidante, her creative foil, and the ever-present source of that infectious, slightly manic laughter that seems to follow them everywhere.
Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Being on tour is grueling, a relentless marathon of travel, pressure, and adrenaline. There are bound to be moments of fatigue, frustration, and the inevitable clashes that come with spending months on the road together. But even in those moments, their bond seems unbreakable. They bicker, they make up, they laugh it off, and they emerge stronger, their love a little more tested, a little more precious.
One evening, after a particularly grueling show, I find Taika backstage, slumped on a sofa, nursing a glass of red wine. Rita’s just finished her encore, the roar of the crowd still echoing in the air. He looks up, a hint of weariness in his eyes, but it quickly melts away when he sees me.
“So, how’d I do tonight?” he asks, a mischievous glint in his eye.
“You were, as always, the most entertaining sidekick a pop star could ask for,” I reply, smiling.
He throws his head back and laughs, a guttural, unrestrained sound that fills the empty room. “Sidekick, huh? I like it. Makes me sound useful.”
We sit in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the crew tearing down the stage. Then, Taika turns to me, his expression thoughtful.
“You know,” he says, “being Rita’s sidekick isn’t always about being funny or supportive. Sometimes, it’s just about being there. Being her rock, her safe harbor in the midst of all this chaos.”
He gestures towards the empty stage, still bathed in the afterglow of spotlights. “This world can be pretty overwhelming, especially for someone like her. So yeah, I’m her sidekick, her jester, her hype man. But mostly, I’m just trying to be the guy who makes her laugh, who reminds her that amidst all the noise and the lights, there’s someone who just wants to be with her, sidekick or not.”
And as I watch Taika Waititi, the Oscar-winning director, the Hollywood darling, happily embrace his role as Rita Ora’s “tour