Live-Action Moana Casts Its Lead Role Alongside Dwayne Johnson's Maui Return (2024)

Disney's live-action Moana remake has found its lead actress in Catherine Laga'aia, who will appear as the titular heroine alongside Dwayne Johnson's return as demigod Maui. The 17-year-old Australian takes over the role from Auli'i Cravalho, who voiced the character in the animated 2016 hit and will reportedly be mentoring the newcomer.

In a statement, Laga'aia shared her excitement at bringing Moana to life in a whole new way on the big screen, saying:

“I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites. My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.”

Other cast members confirmed outside the two leads include John Tui as Moana’s father, Chief Tui; Frankie Adams as Moana’s mother, Sina; and Rena Owen as Gramma Tala.

Dwayne Johnson Teased Production Start on the Movie

Dwayne Johnson previously provided fans a sneak peek into the upcoming live-action remake of Moana, with a behind-the-scenes video that showcased his preparation for the project. The actor, reprising his role as the charismatic demigod Maui and serving as an executive producer, confirmed that production is set to commence this fall.

The Instagram video captures Johnson in the vocal booth as he lays down the preliminary vocals for Maui’s popular tune, "You're Welcome." Accompanying the clip, Johnson’s caption lauds what he describes as a "cool day of work," pointing out the expertise of the assembled group of artists and filmmakers involved in the project.

Moana's remake joins a series of Disney's live-action adaptations of its animated classics, depicting an ongoing trend that seeks to introduce these stories to a new generation while offering a new aspect to those familiar with the original films.

The upcoming live-action remake of Moana is both a risky and promising venture. With Disney's history of transforming animated classics into live-action narratives, some projects have soared in public and critical favor, while others have not fared as well. Among recent adaptations, The Little Mermaid (2023) raked in a significant box office haul of $569.6 million despite mixed critical reviews.

Moana

PG

Animation

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

• stream
• rent
• buy

See Also

Upcoming Disney films for 2024 and beyond

Release Date

November 23, 2016

Director

Ron Clements , Don Hall , John Musker , Chris Williams

Cast

Auli'i Cravalho , Dwayne Johnson , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Jemaine Clement , Nicole Scherzinger

Runtime

103

Writers

Jared Bush , Ron Clements , John Musker , Chris Williams , Don Hall , Pamela Ribon

Studio

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Tagline

The ocean is calling

Website

http://movies.disney.com/moana

Franchise

Disney Animated Films

The track record for Disney's live-action films shows a varied critical and audience reception, from the high audience scores of Cruella and Jungle Cruise to the less favorable critiques of Pinocchio (2022). The financial outcomes are equally mixed, with some films performing robustly at the box office and others, like Peter Pan & Wendy, relegated to streaming platforms without box office figures but with notably poor critical reception.

However, Moana stands out with several factors that may tip the scales towards success. Helmed by Thomas Kail, making his feature directorial debut after notable successes with Hamilton on Disney+ and We Were The Lucky Ones on Hulu, Kail brings a rich theatrical background to the table. His experience with expansive, emotionally appealing storylines suggests he may offer a different perspective to Moana’s story.

Auli'i Cravalho Reflects on Moana's Role in Redefining Disney Princesses

Moana is positioned uniquely within Disney's strategy of cultural representation. The original film was celebrated for its thoughtful portrayal of Polynesian culture, and both the upcoming animated sequel and the live-action adaptation promise to deepen this exploration with an authentically diverse cast.

Auli'i Cravalho, the voice of Moana in Disney's acclaimed 2016 animation, recently reflected on the evolution of the Moana franchise at the SAG Awards. Cravalho has significantly reshaped the Disney princess narrative, infusing it with traits of bravery and resilience. She was enthusiastic about the character’s expanding role across new media, including an animated sequel and a live-action film.

“It feels like the ‘Moana’ universe is expanding and I love that. I love that Moana is a hero to all. It changed what it meant to be a Disney princess. You can be strong and brave and stand up against a demigod. It feels really good that more and more generations are going to be able to relate to this character.”

In the upcoming animated sequel, Cravalho will once again voice Moana, and she has also assumed the position of executive producer for the live-action version. Cravalho previously shared her excitement about welcoming a new actress to the role she made famous, and now we know exactly who that will be.