Matewa Kiritapu is widely recognized as the daughter of Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi and film producer Chelsea Winstanley, but her identity extends far beyond her family name. Born on August 11, 2015, she represents a new generation of young personalities growing up inside global cinema culture while staying deeply connected to Māori roots and heritage.
Even at a young age, Matewa has already appeared in major Hollywood productions and gained attention for her natural screen presence, especially in Marvel films. Her journey reflects a rare mix of childhood innocence, cultural identity, and early exposure to filmmaking environments across New Zealand, Wellington, and Hollywood.
Matewa Kiritapu Quick Bio
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Matewa Kiritapu Waititi |
| Known As | Matewa Kiritapu |
| Date of Birth | August 11, 2015 |
| Age (2026) | 10 years old |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Ethnicity | Māori and mixed heritage |
| Father | Taika Waititi (Oscar-winning filmmaker, director of Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit) |
| Mother | Chelsea Winstanley (film producer, cultural storyteller) |
| Siblings | Te Hinekāhu (sister), Maia (half-brother) |
| Known For | Early appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
| Film Association | Marvel Studios / Disney productions |
| Notable Appearance | Asgardian children scene in Thor: Love and Thunder |
| Childhood Exposure | Film sets in New Zealand, Hollywood, and global production locations |
| Cultural Identity | Strong connection to Māori language and traditions |
| Parents’ Status | Separated in 2018, co-parenting actively |
| Mother’s Company | Matewa Media (linked to Māori language dubbing projects) |
| Primary Residence | Between Wellington (New Zealand) and United States |
| Public Image | Child of Taika Waititi with early Hollywood exposure |
| Industry Environment | Raised around Marvel, Disney, and independent film productions |
| Early Film Age | Around 7 years old during Thor: Love and Thunder filming |
| Cultural Influence | Indigenous storytelling and Māori heritage upbringing |
| Global Exposure | Frequent travel due to film industry commitments |
| Recognition Type | Emerging child figure in entertainment circles |
Who Is Matewa Kiritapu?
Matewa Kiritapu Waititi is best described as a child growing up inside the creative ecosystem of modern cinema. She is not only known as Taika Waititi’s daughter but also as a young performer who has already stepped into professional film environments. Her early appearances in Hollywood productions have made her a recognizable face among Marvel movie audiences and fans of her father’s work.
Her identity is shaped by Māori and mixed heritage, which plays an important role in how her family approaches storytelling and cultural expression. The influence of Māori language and traditions is present in her upbringing, reflecting her parents’ commitment to Indigenous voices in media. She represents a generation of children who are growing up with both cultural grounding and global visibility.
Matewa’s presence in films like Thor: Love and Thunder is often discussed in relation to her natural screen presence and connection to creative environments. Rather than being treated as a traditional child actress, she is more accurately seen as part of a filmmaking family where storytelling is part of everyday life.
Growing Up as Taika Waititi’s Daughter
Being the daughter of Taika Waititi, an Oscar-winning filmmaker known for Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, and Our Flag Means Death, has shaped Matewa’s upbringing in unique ways. She has spent much of her childhood on movie sets, observing production processes, actors, costumes, and storytelling techniques firsthand.
Taika Waititi’s creative style often blends humor, culture, and emotional depth, and these influences naturally surround his children. Matewa has reportedly been present during filming environments that include large-scale Marvel productions and smaller independent creative spaces in Wellington, New Zealand.
Growing up in such an environment means her childhood is not typical. Instead of conventional experiences alone, she has also seen how stories are built for global audiences. The presence of “Asgardian children” scenes in Marvel films like Thor: Love and Thunder reflects how children, including Matewa, have been part of imaginative cinematic worlds that blend fantasy and emotional storytelling.
Her upbringing also includes time spent between New Zealand and the United States, exposing her to different cultural and cinematic landscapes. This balance between everyday childhood and creative exposure makes her early life both grounded and extraordinary.
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Meet Her Mother, Chelsea Winstanley
Chelsea Winstanley, Matewa’s mother, is a respected film producer and an important voice in Indigenous cinema. She has worked on several projects that highlight Māori storytelling and cultural representation in film. She is also associated with Matewa Media, a company involved in promoting Māori language content, including Disney film dubbing initiatives.
Chelsea and Taika Waititi were married before their separation in 2018. Despite their divorce, they continue to co-parent their children, maintaining a collaborative and supportive family structure. This co-parenting approach has allowed Matewa to stay closely connected to both parents while experiencing stability across different creative environments.
Chelsea’s influence is particularly strong in shaping Matewa’s cultural identity. Through her, Matewa remains connected to Māori language, traditions, and Indigenous storytelling values. This cultural grounding plays an important role in balancing the global exposure she receives through Hollywood and Marvel-related projects.
Matewa Kiritapu’s Big Movie Debut
Matewa’s most widely recognized screen appearance is linked to Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), where she was part of the group of children portrayed in Asgardian scenes. Filming for the project took place when she was around 7 years old, placing her early experience directly inside one of Marvel’s biggest productions.
The film, directed by Taika Waititi, featured strong creative input from children, including drawings that inspired monster designs and imaginative visual elements. This approach reflects Taika’s filmmaking style, where creativity is often influenced by family and playful imagination.
Her participation in such a major Marvel movie gave her early exposure to Hollywood production systems. While she is not a traditional lead child actress, her presence in the film reflects how modern filmmaking sometimes integrates real-life family members into storytelling environments.
This debut also places her within the larger Marvel universe narrative, which includes Thor: Ragnarok and other interconnected films. Her involvement adds a personal dimension to her father’s creative world.
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Matewa’s Sister and Siblings
Matewa is part of a blended family with siblings who also have connections to creative and cultural life. Her sister, Te Hinekāhu, was born in 2012 and has also been part of public discussions around Taika Waititi’s family life. She is often described as part of the same creative and culturally grounded upbringing.
Matewa also has a half-brother named Maia. Together, the siblings share a family environment shaped by film, culture, and travel. Their upbringing reflects a modern co-parenting structure where both parents remain active in their lives.
The siblings often experience shared exposure to movie sets, cultural events, and international travel. This environment helps them develop a broad understanding of storytelling and cultural identity from a young age.
Life After Her First Movie
After her early appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, Matewa has continued to grow up outside the public spotlight, while still being occasionally associated with her father’s creative world. Unlike traditional child actors who follow structured career paths, her experiences are more organic and family-integrated.
She has been part of environments connected to Disney films, Māori language projects, and creative storytelling initiatives. However, her life remains centered on childhood development, education, and cultural grounding rather than professional acting commitments.
Her exposure to film sets, including those involving Marvel movies and Hollywood productions, continues to shape her understanding of storytelling. This early familiarity may influence future creative decisions, but her current life remains focused on growth and learning.
Matewa Kiritapu’s Māori Roots and Culture
Matewa’s Māori heritage is a central part of her identity. Through both parents, she is connected to Indigenous traditions that emphasize storytelling, language, and community values. The Māori language is an important element in her upbringing, supported by initiatives linked to Matewa Media and broader cultural preservation efforts.
Her exposure to Māori roots/culture is reflected in how her family approaches filmmaking. Taika Waititi has often integrated Māori identity into global cinema, while Chelsea Winstanley has supported Indigenous voices in film production.
This cultural foundation ensures that Matewa grows up with a strong sense of identity, even while being connected to Hollywood and international film industries. The balance between Indigenous heritage and global exposure is a defining part of her life story.
How Her Parents’ Divorce Affected Her
In 2018, Taika Waititi and Chelsea Winstanley separated, transitioning into a co-parenting arrangement. For Matewa, this meant growing up in a dual-household structure where both parents remained actively involved in her upbringing.
Rather than creating distance, the co-parenting approach has maintained stability. Both parents continue to collaborate on parenting decisions, ensuring that Matewa and her siblings experience continuity in their cultural and emotional development.
This structure also allows her to move between environments in Wellington, New Zealand, and the United States, reflecting a globally mobile childhood shaped by creative careers and film industry commitments.
Matewa’s Daily Life and Hobbies
Matewa’s daily life is a mix of normal childhood routines and exposure to creative environments. While she is not publicly documented as pursuing a formal acting career, her surroundings include film sets, storytelling sessions, and cultural learning experiences.
Her hobbies are often described in general terms tied to childhood development—creative play, imagination-driven activities, and family time. Being surrounded by filmmaking professionals naturally exposes her to visual storytelling, costume design, and cinematic creativity.
She also experiences cultural learning through Māori language exposure, which strengthens her connection to identity and heritage. This combination of play, culture, and creativity shapes her everyday life.
Traveling the World with Taika
Matewa has traveled frequently with her father, including during projects connected to Thor: Love and Thunder and other international productions. The well-known “Dads on Tour” (2022) references highlight how Taika Waititi balances filmmaking with family time, often bringing his children along during global travel.
These travels include locations such as Hollywood, New Zealand, and various film production sites. She has also been indirectly connected to culturally significant filming locations like Hobbiton, a major cinematic landmark in New Zealand’s film industry.
Traveling at a young age provides her with exposure to different cultures, environments, and creative industries. This global movement is part of her upbringing as Taika Waititi’s daughter.
What’s Next for Matewa Kiritapu?
At her current stage in life, Matewa’s future remains open-ended. While she has already appeared in a Marvel film and experienced Hollywood environments, there is no confirmed direction toward a formal acting career.
Her upbringing suggests continued exposure to creative industries, Māori cultural initiatives, and international storytelling environments. Whether she chooses filmmaking, acting, or an entirely different path, her background provides a strong foundation in both cultural identity and creative expression.
Given her early exposure to Thor: Love and Thunder and other Disney-related environments, she remains loosely connected to the entertainment world, but her future will likely be shaped by personal choice rather than industry expectation.
Why Everyone Loves Taika Waititi’s Daughter
Public interest in Matewa Kiritapu comes from a combination of curiosity and admiration for her family’s creative influence. As Taika Waititi’s daughter, she represents a new generation growing up inside Hollywood storytelling while remaining grounded in Māori heritage.
Her early appearance in Marvel films, especially Thor: Love and Thunder, created interest in her screen presence and natural confidence. Fans also appreciate the way her family integrates culture, humor, and creativity into everyday life.
She is often described as a “baby doppelganger” of her father in childhood comparisons, which adds to public fascination. However, beyond entertainment value, her story resonates because it reflects Indigenous identity, modern parenting, and creative legacy.
Final Thoughts
Matewa Kiritapu represents a unique intersection of culture, cinema, and family legacy. As the daughter of Taika Waititi and Chelsea Winstanley, she grows up surrounded by filmmaking, Māori traditions, and global storytelling.
Her early appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder places her within modern Hollywood history, while her upbringing in Wellington, New Zealand ensures strong cultural grounding. Whether she continues in film or chooses another path, her story already reflects a rare blend of Indigenous identity, creative heritage, and early cinematic exposure.
(FAQs)
How old is Matewa Kiritapu and when was she born?
Matewa Kiritapu was born on August 11, 2015, making her about 10 years old in 2026.
Who is Matewa Kiritapu’s mom?
Her mother is Chelsea Winstanley, a film producer and co-parent who supports Māori storytelling and film production through initiatives like Matewa Media.
Was Matewa Kiritapu really in a Thor movie?
Yes, she appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) as part of the Asgardian children group during filming when she was around 7 years old.
What movies has Matewa Kiritapu been in?
She is primarily known for her appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder, with indirect connections to other projects through her father’s filmmaking universe like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit.
Where does Matewa Kiritapu live and who is her dad?
She lives between New Zealand and the United States, and her father is Taika Waititi, an Oscar-winning filmmaker known for Thor movies and Our Flag Means Death.
Daniel Carter is an entertainment writer covering celebrity news, lifestyle trends, and public achievements. He focuses on creating accurate, engaging, and well researched content that delivers reliable information and reader value.