Taking their relationship to the next level. Taika Waititi and girlfriend Rita Ora fell in love after deciding to “complicate” their friendship, according to the director.
“[This is the] first photo [from] the night we met four years ago,” the Thor: Ragnarok director wrote via Instagram in February 2022 alongside a snapshot of him and the singer grinning, while posing with one leg against a wall. “We’ve been mates ever since. Then a year ago we decided to ‘complicate’ things but it just got easier. Happy Valentines Day to my bestie.”
Waititi and Ora were first linked in early 2021, shortly after they were spotted hanging out with Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina in Sydney, Australia, with The Sun reporting at the time that the duo had been together since March. The Voice Australia judge was also frequently photographed with the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder around that time. While she was rumored to have a role in the blockbuster film, Ora is not in the movie.
After keeping things low-key for several months, the twosome’s romance made headlines in May 2021 when they were spotted cuddling and kissing Tessa Thompson during an outing in Australia.
Though she didn’t publicly comment on the PDA-filled trip, the “For You” singer previously come out as bisexual in June 2018. “I’m attracted to men and also to women,” she told Porter magazine at the time. “It’s tricky, because Janelle and I are just really private people and we’re both trying to navigate how you reconcile wanting to have that privacy and space, and also wanting to use your platform and influence.”
Ora continued: “I want everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones. But so many people don’t. So, do I have a responsibility to talk about that? Do I have a responsibility to say in a public space that this is my person?”
The JoJo Rabbit director, for his part, told The Sydney Morning Herald that the photos were “not” a big deal. “I think in the world of the internet, everything goes away pretty quick,” he said in June 2021, one month after the snaps went viral. “No, [it’s] not really [a big deal]. I was doing nothing wrong. It’s fine.”
Two months later, Ora and Waititi made their red carpet debut as a couple at The Suicide Squad premiere in Los Angeles. “I’m in a great place in my life, that’s all I’m going to say about that,” the Westworld actress told Vogue Australia in September 2021 when asked about their romance. “I just think, respectfully, privacy is important. … I learned a lot in my 20s.”
Prior to the Oscar winner, Ora was linked to Rob Kardashian, Calvin Harris and Andrew Garfield. She and filmmaker Romain Gavras called it quits in March 2021 after more than one year together. Waititi, meanwhile, divorced Chelsea Winstanley in 2018 after seven years of marriage. They share two daughters.
Keep scrolling to see Ora and Waititi’s complete relationship timeline:
Taking their relationship to the next level. Taika Waititi and girlfriend Rita Ora fell in love after deciding to “complicate” their friendship, according to the director.
“[This is the] first photo [from] the night we met four years ago,” the Thor: Ragnarok director wrote via Instagram in February 2022 alongside a snapshot of him and the singer grinning, while posing with one leg against a wall. “We’ve been mates ever since. Then a year ago we decided to ‘complicate’ things but it just got easier. Happy Valentines Day to my bestie.”
Waititi and Ora were first linked in early 2021, shortly after they were spotted hanging out with Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina in Sydney, Australia, with The Sun reporting at the time that the duo had been together since March. The Voice Australia judge was also frequently photographed with the cast of Thor: Love and Thunder around that time. While she was rumored to have a role in the blockbuster film, Ora is not in the movie.
After keeping things low-key for several months, the twosome’s romance made headlines in May 2021 when they were spotted cuddling and kissing Tessa Thompson during an outing in Australia.
Though she didn’t publicly comment on the PDA-filled trip, the “For You” singer previously come out as bisexual in June 2018. “I’m attracted to men and also to women,” she told Porter magazine at the time. “It’s tricky, because Janelle and I are just really private people and we’re both trying to navigate how you reconcile wanting to have that privacy and space, and also wanting to use your platform and influence.”
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Ora continued: “I want everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones. But so many people don’t. So, do I have a responsibility to talk about that? Do I have a responsibility to say in a public space that this is my person?”
The JoJo Rabbit director, for his part, told The Sydney Morning Herald that the photos were “not” a big deal. “I think in the world of the internet, everything goes away pretty quick,” he said in June 2021, one month after the snaps went viral. “No, [it’s] not really [a big deal]. I was doing nothing wrong. It’s fine.”
Two months later, Ora and Waititi made their red carpet debut as a couple at The Suicide Squad premiere in Los Angeles. “I’m in a great place in my life, that’s all I’m going to say about that,” the Westworld actress told Vogue Australia in September 2021 when asked about their romance. “I just think, respectfully, privacy is important. … I learned a lot in my 20s.”
Prior to the Oscar winner, Ora was linked to Rob Kardashian, Calvin Harris and Andrew Garfield. She and filmmaker Romain Gavras called it quits in March 2021 after more than one year together. Waititi, meanwhile, divorced Chelsea Winstanley in 2018 after seven years of marriage. They share two daughters.
Keep scrolling to see Ora and Waititi’s complete relationship timeline:
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Credit: Courtesy of Rita Ora/Instagram
2018
The duo originally hit it off in 2018 and, as the What We Do in the Shadows creator wrote in February 2022, “We’ve been mates ever since.”
Credit: Courtesy of Rita Ora/Instagram
April 2021
The Sun first reported that the “Your Song” performer and Waititi were an item in the spring of 2021. That same month, Ors shared a photo cuddled up with the screenwriter via Instagram.
Credit: Shutterstock (3)
May 2021
Ora and Waititi were seen packing on the PDA with Thor star Thompson during an excursion in Australia. In photos obtained by the Daily Mail, the director was seen with his arms around both women before sharing a kiss with each of them. In another snap, the trio appeared to be leaning in for a group kiss.
Credit: Courtesy of Rita Ora/Instagram
August 2021
The pair made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Suicide Squad premiere in Los Angeles. Ora later shared several photos from her boyfriend’s 46th birthday celebrations via Instagram, which showed her presenting Waititi with a birthday cake and partying with famous friends including Rami Malek and Kristen Stewart.
Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
September 2021
The “R.I.P.” musician held Waititi close and shared several kisses with him as they made their way down the red carpet at the 2021 Met Gala. Later that month, Ora told Vogue Australia that she was “in a great place” in her life.
Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
November 2021
Waititi played the role of Instagram boyfriend at the 2021 MTV EMAs in Budapest, taking photos of Ora on his phone as she posed on the red carpet.
Credit: CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
February 2022
“❤️ F–k yeah!!! ❤️ I’m super proud of this girl!” Waititi wrote via Instagram, sharing screenshots announcing Ora’s new role in Disney+’s Beauty and the Beast prequel series. (The series was canceled later that month.)
Credit: Mairo Cinquetti/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
February 2022
Later that month, he confirmed that the pair had been dating for one year with a touching Instagram post gushing about Ora for Valentine’s Day. In a post of her own, Ora shared photos from their romance, writing, “Thanks for being cool. And entertaining me forevs..Happy Valentine’s Day bestie ❤️”
Credit: Evan Agostini/AP/Shutterstock
March 2022
The Our Flag Means Death star was photographed carrying and arranging the train of his girlfriend’s dress as they arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in late March.
Credit: Ash Knotek/Shutterstock
July 2022
“Huge congratulations to @taikawaititi and the whole Thor crew and team!!” Ora wrote via Instagram ahead of the Thor: Love and Thunder premiere, along with some loved-up photos from the premiere. “I’ve seen all the incredible hard work that has gone into this 💗⚡everyone go watch this on Friday!!!”
Credit: Raw Image LTD/MEGA
July 2022
Two days after the fourth Thor film was released, Ora and Waititi celebrated by enjoying the final matches at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in England.
Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
September 2022
Ora gushed about her husband during an episode of the “Greatest Night Ever” podcast. “I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love,” she told host Jaime Winstone, adding that the Thor: Love and Thunder director was a “lovely” person.
“I’ve always wanted the fairytale, that’s what I grew up loving,” the “Let You Love Me” singer said. “For me, it was always about that love, finding a partner, so I’m really happy I did. I love Taika. Shoutout to Taika!”
Credit: Ian West/PA Images/INSTARimages./Cover Images
November 2022
The happy couple cohosted the 29th MTV Europe Music Awards in Dusseldorf, Germany, after walking the red carpet together.
