Less than 10 years after the original “Moana” movie came out, The Walt Disney Company announced they are making a live-action version. The original “Moana,” released in 2016 by Walt Disney Animation Studios, was a huge hit. It followed other popular movies like “Frozen,” “Big Hero 6,” and “Zootopia.”
“Moana” earned $687.2 million worldwide and was even nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature. The movie became a classic thanks to its beautiful animation, catchy songs by Tony Award-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the timeless Disney magic.
A big part of what made “Moana” special was the new actress, Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana. She brought warmth, bravery, and humor to the character and amazed everyone with her incredible singing. The movie also had memorable characters like the mischievous, shape-shifting demigod Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson. The story is about a strong-willed chief’s daughter, Moana, who is chosen by the ocean to return a magical totem to the goddess Te Fiti and save her island.
For the live-action version of “Moana,” Dwayne Johnson will return as Maui, but Moana has been recast. When Disney’s CEO Bob Iger announced the live-action movie, Cravalho said she wouldn’t be playing Moana again. Instead, Disney announced that Catherine Laga‘aia, a 17-year-old from Sydney, Australia, will play Moana. Catherine is excited and honored to represent Pacific Island people and young girls who look like her. She loves the character Moana and is thrilled about the challenges of the live-action movie.
Although Auliʻi Cravalho won’t be Moana in the live-action movie, she will still voice the character in the upcoming animated film “Moana 2.” Cravalho is also one of the executive producers of the live-action remake, meaning she will still be very involved. She was originally cast as Moana when she was just 14 years old and will help guide Laga‘aia in her new role. Cravalho is excited for a new generation to discover Moana and continues to support the growing Moana universe.
