I think something that every actor wants, whether they've done four movies or forty movies, is they want to find the work interesting. You want to come to work and think this is going to be a challenge.
Taika WaititiRead
I don't like laughing at people unless they're in a privileged position or if they're in authority. If it's poor people or people who live on the outskirts or on the margins, or the underdog, I'd rather be laughing with them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of empathy and solidarity with those who are less fortunate, rather than ridiculing them.
Taika Waititi's quote reflects a compassionate perspective on humor, suggesting that laughter should be a means of connection rather than division. He advocates for laughing 'with' those who are marginalized or disadvantaged, positioning humor as a tool for solidarity rather than a weapon for oppression. By drawing a distinction between the privileged and the underdog, he highlights the moral responsibility to uplift those who are struggling, reinforcing the idea that humor should never come at the expense of others, especially those already facing challenges.
Themes
EmpathySolidarityHumorLaughterPrivilegeUnderdog
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about social justice, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of supporting marginalized communities.
More from Taika Waititi
All quotes →If someone asked, 'What are your films like?,' the best I can come up with is that they're, like, a fine balance between comedy and drama. And they deal mainly with the clumsiness of humanity.
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I'm not interested in doing work that doesn't captivate me.
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People overcoming the odds is actually a really important part of humanity, and I don't think we kind of get to celebrate that as much as we should.
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The stuff I'm passionate about is what I write; it isn't multi-million-dollar franchise movies.
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I love films that make you feel something but also deliver that payload behind jokes.
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