Boy director Taika Waititi has captured our hearts like no other. Fresh off the astronomical success of Marvel blockbuster Thor: Ragnorak, Waititi has sunk his teeth into a brand new project, “anti-hate satire” Jojo Rabbit.
Jojo Rabbit is Taika Waititi’s latest comedy. Set in Nazi Germany, the film follows a 10-year-old boy infatuated with his imaginary friend, a half-witted version of Adolf Hitler. The boy finds himself in a crossroad after he discovers a Jewish girl that his mother has been hiding in their attic.
Waititi has undertaken the role of Adolf Hitler, in a recent interview with Deadline, he has delved into the preparation he put into playing the role. If you were expecting Heath Ledger à la The Dark Knight level of dedicated method acting, you might be disappointed.
Waititi has emphasised that in order to play this exaggerated version of Hitler, he just rocked up to set with a “shitty little moustache” and a “mediocre German accent.”
“I didn’t have to do any research, and I didn’t do any research,” Waititi explained to Deadline. “I didn’t base him on anything I’d seen about Hitler before. I just made him a version of myself that happened to have a bad haircut and a shitty little mustache. And a mediocre German accent.”
“It would just be too weird to play the actual Hitler, and I don’t think people would enjoy the character as much. Because he was such a fucking c*nt, and everyone knows that as well. I think people have got to relate to really enjoy the ride.”
Waititi has clarified that the Hitler featured in the film is not actually Hitler at all, rather a big child in a Nazi outfit.
“He’s not really Hitler. He’s like a 10 year-old kid’s version of Hitler. So he doesn’t have to share anything with actual Hitler, because 10 year-olds never meet Hitler. He’s basically a 10 year-old who happens to have a tiny little moustache.”
Check out the trailer for Taika Waititi’s Boy
