When Thor: Love and Thunder hit cinemas in 2022, sharp-eyed viewers noticed two tiny Asgardian kids with unmistakable screen presence — and one of them carried one of the most famous surnames in modern filmmaking. That was Matewa Kiritapu, the younger daughter of Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, making her acting debut at just six years old.
But Matewa Kiritapu is more than a famous father’s cameo. She is growing up at the intersection of two powerful identities: Hollywood royalty and proud Māori heritage, raised by two of New Zealand’s most celebrated storytellers. Her brief appearance in a Marvel blockbuster made her one of the youngest Māori talents ever seen on a global screen.
Here is everything that is actually known about Matewa Kiritapu — her family, her famous parents, her acting debut, her Māori roots, and what her future might hold. As with any child in the public eye, this article sticks to what has been reported and respects what her family has chosen to keep private.
| Full Name | Matewa Kiritapu Waititi |
|---|---|
| Known For | Daughter of Taika Waititi; child actress |
| Born | August 11, 2015 |
| Age | 11 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Ethnicity | Māori |
| Profession | Child actress |
| Parents | Taika Waititi (father), Chelsea Winstanley (mother) |
| Siblings | Te Hinekāhu (older sister) |
| Notable Role | Asgardian kid in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
| Current Status | Student; lives a largely private childhood |
Who Is Matewa Kiritapu?
Matewa Kiritapu is the younger daughter of acclaimed filmmaker Taika Waititi and award-winning film producer Chelsea Winstanley. Born on August 11, 2015, in New Zealand, she belongs to a family that has become synonymous with Māori storytelling on the world stage.
She entered public awareness the way many celebrity children do — simply by being born to famous parents — but she stepped into the spotlight on her own terms in 2022, when she appeared alongside her older sister as one of the Asgardian children in her father’s Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder. The cameo made her, at six, one of the youngest Māori performers ever featured in a Marvel Studios production.
Her full name carries cultural weight: “Matewa” is a Māori name, and her family’s deep connection to Māori identity shapes how she is being raised — something both of her parents have spoken about publicly throughout their careers.
Early Life and Family
Matewa was born into what can only be described as a filmmaking dynasty. Her father, Taika Waititi, is the Oscar-winning director behind Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, and Thor: Love and Thunder — a filmmaker famous for blending sharp comedy with genuine heart. Her mother, Chelsea Winstanley, is a celebrated New Zealand film producer known for championing Māori and indigenous storytelling, including producing Jojo Rabbit and the acclaimed film What We Do in the Shadows era of New Zealand cinema.
Matewa’s older sister, Te Hinekāhu (whose full name is Te Kāinga o te Hinekāhu), was born in May 2012, making her about three years Matewa’s senior. The two sisters are frequently described as close, and they shared the screen together in Thor: Love and Thunder.
The girls’ parents married in 2011 in a private ceremony in New York. Taika and Chelsea separated when Matewa was very young — she was around three — and later divorced. Taika has since remarried; he wed singer Rita Ora in 2022. Details of the children’s day-to-day upbringing have been kept private, as both parents have been protective of their daughters’ childhoods.
A Family Built on Film
It is hard to overstate how deeply cinema runs in this family. Matewa’s father went from New Zealand comedy outsider to one of Hollywood’s most sought-after directors, winning the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit in 2020. Her mother built a parallel reputation as a producer who fought for indigenous stories to be told by indigenous filmmakers.
Growing up, Matewa and her sister spent school holidays visiting their father on film sets around the world — an education no classroom could offer. Crew members on the Thor films have described the sets as deliberately family-friendly, with Taika encouraging cast and crew to bring their children along. For Matewa, a Marvel set was not some distant dream factory; it was simply where her dad worked.
That environment matters. Children who grow up around cameras and storytelling often absorb the craft by osmosis, and by the time Thor: Love and Thunder went into production, both Waititi daughters were ready for their moment in front of the lens.
Her Acting Debut in Thor: Love and Thunder
Matewa made her acting debut in 2022 as one of the Asgardian kids in Thor: Love and Thunder, the film her father co-wrote and directed. She appeared alongside her sister Te Hinekāhu, and the two were part of a memorable sequence involving the children of New Asgard.
The casting was a family affair in more ways than one. The film famously featured cameos from the children of several cast members — Chris Hemsworth’s kids, Christian Bale’s and Natalie Portman’s children also appeared — and the creatures in the film were reportedly based on drawings by Taika’s and Hemsworth’s children, which the production team then developed into full monster designs.
Though Matewa’s role was small, it was significant in one respect that got less attention than it deserved: she became one of the youngest Māori actors to appear in a Marvel Studios film, carrying indigenous representation into one of the biggest franchises on the planet. For a six-year-old, that is a remarkable footnote — and for Māori audiences, it meant something real.
Growing Up Māori in Hollywood
Matewa’s Māori heritage is central to who she is, and both of her parents have made indigenous identity a cornerstone of their public work. Taika Waititi, who is of Māori (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) and Jewish descent, has consistently used his platform to elevate Māori stories — from Boy to Hunt for the Wilderpeople to his insistence on Māori representation in his blockbusters.
Chelsea Winstanley has been equally vocal, producing films that center Māori voices and advocating for indigenous filmmakers internationally. Growing up with two parents who treat cultural identity as something to celebrate rather than downplay, Matewa is being raised with a strong sense of where she comes from.
This is the part of her story that shallow celebrity-kid profiles tend to miss. Matewa is not just “Taika Waititi’s daughter” — she is a young Māori girl whose family has spent two decades proving that indigenous stories belong on the biggest screens in the world. Whatever she chooses to do, that foundation travels with her.
Life Away From the Spotlight
Despite her famous surname and her Marvel credit, Matewa lives a deliberately ordinary childhood — or as ordinary as it can be. Her parents have kept both daughters largely out of the press, sharing only occasional glimpses, and there is no public record of her schooling, hobbies, or daily life beyond what the family chooses to reveal.
That privacy is intentional and worth respecting. Unlike some celebrity children who are pushed toward fame early, Matewa’s public footprint is minimal: one film credit, a handful of family photos, and the biographical basics. She is, first and foremost, a child — currently of primary-school age — and her family has drawn a clear line around that.
It is also worth noting what has not happened: despite persistent internet curiosity, there are no verified social media accounts for Matewa, no interviews, and no public appearances beyond family-related events. Anyone claiming otherwise is speculating.
What the Rumor Mill Gets Wrong
Because so little is officially documented about Matewa, low-quality sites fill the gaps with invention. Some claim acting credits she does not have; one widely copied profile asserts she appeared in the TV series Our Flag Means Death, but no reliable cast listing supports that claim, and it should be treated as unverified.
Others publish precise heights, weights, and net worth figures for a child — numbers that are pure fabrication, since no such information has ever been released. The honest, verifiable record is short: born August 11, 2015; daughter of Taika Waititi and Chelsea Winstanley; younger sister of Te Hinekāhu; appeared as an Asgardian kid in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Everything beyond that is either private or invented.
This matters because Matewa is a minor. Responsible coverage means reporting what is known, flagging what is not, and refusing to pad a child’s biography with fiction for clicks — a standard this article holds to throughout.
The Next Generation of Storytellers
Whether Matewa pursues acting is entirely her choice, and at eleven, she has years before that decision matters. But the early signs — a natural, positively received screen debut and a childhood steeped in storytelling — suggest she has the option if she wants it.
She would not be the first child of famous filmmakers to carve her own path. Like other young performers growing up in creative households — from Don Cheadle’s daughter Ayana Tai Cheadle to the many second-generation talents finding their footing — Matewa has both the opportunity and the challenge of a famous name: doors open, but expectations loom.
For now, the most interesting thing about Matewa Kiritapu is not what she has done but what she represents: a new generation of Māori talent, raised by storytellers, appearing in global blockbusters before she could tie her own shoes. The industry will be watching — whenever she is ready.
Bottom Line
Matewa Kiritapu’s story is still in its first chapter, and that is exactly as it should be. At eleven years old, she has already done something most actors never will — appear in a Marvel film — while carrying a name and heritage that connect her to one of the most important filmmaking families in New Zealand history.
What comes next is hers to decide. Whether she becomes an actress, a filmmaker like her parents, or something entirely different, she starts from a foundation few children share: two parents who proved that Māori stories deserve the world’s biggest stages. That legacy is already hers. The rest, she gets to write herself.
How old is Matewa Kiritapu?
Matewa Kiritapu was born on August 11, 2015, making her 11 years old as of 2026.
Who are Matewa Kiritapu’s parents?
Her father is Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi and her mother is New Zealand film producer Chelsea Winstanley. The couple married in 2011 and later divorced; Taika has since married singer Rita Ora.
Was Matewa Kiritapu in Thor: Love and Thunder?
Yes. She made her acting debut in the 2022 Marvel film as one of the Asgardian kids, appearing alongside her older sister Te Hinekāhu. The film was co-written and directed by her father.
Does Matewa Kiritapu have siblings?
Yes, she has an older sister, Te Hinekāhu (full name Te Kāinga o te Hinekāhu), born in May 2012, who also appeared in Thor: Love and Thunder.
What is Matewa Kiritapu’s ethnicity?
She is Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Both of her parents are prominent figures in Māori and indigenous storytelling.
Is Matewa Kiritapu still acting?
Her only verified acting credit is Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Claims about other roles, including a reported appearance in Our Flag Means Death, are unverified. She currently lives a private childhood away from the spotlight.
