PHOTO: Taika Waititi & Rita Ora. PEOPLE
New Zealand’s renowned filmmaker, Taika Waititi, has acquired a stunning waterfront residence in Point Chevalier, making headlines with the purchase of a $10.5 million property.
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Rumors have been circulating in recent weeks that Waititi, the Kiwi superstar director, was in search of a premium home in Auckland, but he was not interested in the conventional upscale neighborhoods like Remuera or Herne Bay.
It’s been revealed that Waititi secured this luxurious property in July, and his acquisition set a price record for the Point Chevalier suburb. The magnificent three-story, 336-square-meter residence boasts four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and is perched on a 620-square-meter section. It offers extensive decks that provide breathtaking views over the Waitematā towards Te Atatū Peninsula and Hobsonville Point.
Constructed in the 1990s and extensively renovated seven years ago, the house now features a pool, modern kitchen and bathrooms, and a self-contained studio above the garage at the front of the property. Beneath the pool deck lies a spacious lawn surrounded by mature pōhutukawa trees. The private residence also enjoys riparian rights and has a pathway leading to the beach.
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The real estate transaction was handled by Ray White agent Derek von Sturmer, who has remained tight-lipped about the identity of the buyer. Meanwhile, Waititi’s agent, Gail Cowen, declined to provide any comments.
This acquisition marks Waititi’s first purchase of a home in Auckland, the city where he has been increasingly active, including filming the second season of his HBO Max series, “Our Flag Means Death,” at Kumeu Film Studios.
Taika Waititi, the 48-year-old Oscar-winning director, who hails from Wellington, New Zealand, has a busy international lifestyle, with frequent travels to Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. His new Auckland base, conveniently situated near the beach, Coyle Park, and the Auckland Zoo, will likely serve as a perfect place for him to spend quality time with his daughters, Te Hinekahu and Matewa Kiritapu, born to his former wife and fellow filmmaker, Chelsea Winstanley.
In 2021, Waititi and Winstanley listed their mid-century Los Angeles home for $2.75 million. His current wife, UK popstar Rita Ora, has a charming Victorian brick home in North London’s Primrose Hill neighborhood, which she showcased in a video for Architectural Digest.