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
We've got a thing called the 'tall poppy syndrome' in New Zealand, where if anyone is doing really well, it's quite common to try and bring them down - like, cut them down and say, 'You've been to the moon? So what? I mean, plenty of people have been to the moon.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights societal tendencies to diminish the achievements of those who stand out.
In this quote, Taika Waititi refers to the phenomenon known as 'tall poppy syndrome,' which describes how individuals in society may attempt to undermine or criticize the success of others instead of celebrating it. This can be a reflection of insecurity and a fear of standing out, leading to a culture where personal achievements are downplayed, as exemplified by the dismissive reaction to someone who has achieved greatness.
Themes
Tall Poppy SyndromeSuccessSocietyAchievementCriticism
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about embracing individual success.
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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