Catherine Laga‘aia is playing Moana in the live-action movie.
Disney is known for its magical fairytales, and over the years, they have introduced many princesses such as Moana, Pocahontas, Mulan, and others. In 2016, Moana was released and audiences praised its storyline and music. It is the story of a young island girl who goes on a voyage to save her people and her land. It was a commercial success on a global stage.
Recently, there has been a trend of making live-action remakes of animated films. Disney has released many live-action remakes of their animated films, like The Lion King, Cinderella, and Aladdin. Now, Moana is set to do the same. Disney did several auditions and did a global search to find the right girl for the role of Moana. Finally, it was revealed that Catherine Laga‘aia, a native Australian actress, will be playing the role of Moana.
Who is playing Moana in the live-action movie?
In 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced on his official YouTube channel that a live-action remake of Moana was in development. He will be reprising his role as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, and he also provided his voice for the character in the animated version. After the announcement was made, Auli’i Cravalho, the girl who gave her voice to Moana in the animated version, shared a video on her Instagram mentioning that she was cast as Moana when she was 14 years old and it changed her career. However, she would not be reprising the role in the live-action because she believed that the casting should accurately represent the character.
In February 2024, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dwayne Johnson revealed that the hunt for Moana was over, and the production of the live-action had started. They did a global search to find a fresh face. In July 2024, Disney revealed the face of the live-action Moana, Catherine Laga‘aia.
Catherine Laga‘aia is a 17-year-old native Australian actress. She shared that she was excited to play the role of Moana because she was one of her favorite characters. Her grandfather is from Savai‘i and her grandmother is from Samoa. She was grateful for the opportunity to represent Samoa and the people of the Pacific Island and represent young girls who look like her.
When will Moana’s live-action version be released?
In 2023, Dwayne Johnson shared on his social media that the production of the film is still in the early stages and there are lots of things they have to do. Usually, Disney’s live-action adaptations take 3 to 5 years to make. The filming of Moana started in July 2024.
There is a lot of buzz surrounding Moana's live-action adaptation. On November 21, 2024, Dwayne Johnson was spotted on the sets of Moana in the costume of Maui. His look went viral on social media, increasing the anticipation of the fans. Fans were excited to see Dwayne on the sets of Moana as he looked exactly like the animated version of Maui. It is confirmed by Disney that Moana is set to release on July 10, 2026.
FAQs about Moana
A. Moana's live-action adaptation will be released on July 10, 2026.
A. Dwayne Johnson will be playing the role of Maui in Moana.
A. Moana’s live-action adaption is being filmed in Hawaii and Atlanta.
