Taika Waititi celebrated his birthday in Ibiza. Photo / @ritaora
Taika Waititi celebrated his birthday in Ibiza. Photo / @ritaora
Spain’s famous party isle is beloved by the rich and famous, and Salma Hayek and Camila Cabello were among the stars at Taika’s Ibiza birthday bash.
Superstar Kiwi director Taika Waititi has had a massive week.
He attended a Disney party with honorary Kiwi, Hollywood titanJames Cameron, celebrated his birthday in Ibiza with superstars Salma Hayek and Camila Cabello in attendance, then flew to Slovakia by private jet where his wife, UK popstar Rita Ora, sang her husband ‘happy birthday’ while performing on stage.
Days before Waititi’s big Ibiza bash for his 49th birthday, on August 16, he and Ora, 33, were at Disneyland at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.
Ora, who recently starred as the villainous Queen of Hearts in Descendants: The Rise of Redon Disney+, made a surprise appearance at D23, a fan event by Disney.
Dressed in a vampy snake look, Ora performed Disney’s The Jungle Book song Trust in Me (The Python’s Song) surrounded by Disney performers dressed in green.
Ora kept the python theme going with a snake print suit as she and Waititi got to explore the famous park and its rides by night.
Ora posted a picture to Instagram of Waititi and James Cameron (the directors share the same birthday) from the D3 event, where the Avatar and Titanic director was named an official Disney Legend during the event.
Filmmakers Taika Waititi and James Cameron. Photo / @ritaora
After California, they headed to Europe the following Thursday, where Waititi celebrated his birthday a day early, at a lavish, star-studded celebration in Ibiza.
It’s the second year in a row Waititi has marked the occasion on the Spanish island. It is understood Ora and great friend, former UK reality TV star Vas J Morgan threw the party for the birthday boy.
Morgan took to Instagram to thank everyone involved in bringing together their “annual Taika Waititi birthday celebration”.
Notably amongst the A-Listers was Hollywood acting powerhouse Salma Hayek, who was also partying in Europe with Waititi and Ora the week before.
Taika Waititi, Rita Ora with Salma Hayek, Vas J Morgan and other guests. Photo / @ritaora
It’s yet to be discovered if Waititi and Hayek may be working on a project together, but along with Ora all three share a love of fashion.
Hayek is married to French multi-billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, a business magnate who is the president and chief executive of luxury group Kering, which owns fashion brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen.
Another notable guest at the birthday bash was Ora’s fellow popstar, Cuba-born Camila Cabello. The pair danced and posed putting their hands in the air.
The glitzy party was at an upmarket Spanish villa with alfresco dining. The dancing had a nice New Zealand touch thanks to Waititi’s All Black-themed birthday cake; the rugby ball from atop the cake was passed around by guests.
There’s no rest for the wicked as on his actual birthday last Friday, Waititi, Ora, Morgan, and entourage were aboard a small private jet and headed to Slovakia.
That night in Bratislava Ora was one of the performers at the Love Stream Festival. During her performance, the singer welcomed Waititi out to the stage as she sang happy birthday.
Waititi gave his wife a hug and a kiss and gave a humble wave to the packed arena.
Ricardo Simich is the Herald’s Spy Editor. Based in Auckland he covers all roads that lead to popular culture.
