Multi-hyphenate Taika Waititi, the New Zealand actor-director-writer-producer, will be honored with the Norman Lear Achievement Award from the Producers Guild of America, the organization announced on Wednesday.
“Taika Waititi has profoundly transformed the television landscape with his imaginative work as a producer, bringing to life groundbreaking series ‘What We Do in the Shadows,’ ‘Our Flag Means Death’ and ‘Reservation Dogs,’” Producers Guild of America presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line said.
“His remarkable ability to explore cultures through a lens of humor and humanity makes these narratives not only relatable but also deeply engaging for audiences,” they continued. “Through his unwavering commitment to diverse narratives and the amplification of Indigenous voices, Taika redefines the art of storytelling, grounding cultural experiences in mainstream media. We are honored to recognize him for his significant contributions to television, continuing Norman Lear’s legacy of enriching the craft of producing.”
“Thank you so much to the Producers Guild of America for this incredible honor,” Waititi added. “To be included alongside legends and so many I look up to, like the great Norman Lear himself, is truly humbling. My work as a producer has always been about telling stories that reflect the world as it is – messy, diverse and full of humanity. I’m lucky to work with an amazing team of people who help bring these stories to life, and I’m grateful to be able to give a voice to storytellers that deserve to be heard. This award is for all of us – thank you for recognizing the importance of storytelling that connects us.”
The director of feature films including “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Thor: Ragnarok,” Waititi won a writing Oscar for his 2019 World War II satire “Jojo Rabbit.” He is the co-founder of Piki Films and his television projects include “Time Bandits,” “Our Flag Means Death,” “Reservation Dogs” and “What We Do in the Shadows,” the TV adaptation of his 2014 film, which he co-directed with Jemaine Clement.
The 2025 Producers Guild Awards event chairs are Mike Farah and Joe Farrell, with Anchor Street Collective producing and Jody Lambert, Lauren Cortizo and Matt Oberg writing. Branden Chapman is the executive producer and Carleen Cappelletti is co-executive producer. Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis is their PR agency of record and Diane Salerno manages sponsorships.
The 2025 PGAs are set for Feb. 8, 2025.
