Moana 2lead actress Auli’i Cravalho shared her thoughts about reprising her role of titular character Moana at while at the recentD23 Expo. Speaking to attendees,Cravalho touched on how it differs from the original, the pride she gets from the film and character, and her excitement for the future of this franchise. Coming courtesy ofDeadline,Cravalho discussed how this version of Moana is older, wiser, and still trying to figure out who she is. She also mentioned that she resonates very dearly with the character, especially now as she’s grown, and feels the film allowed her to tap into parts of herself. Cravalho, a Hawaiian herself, is extremely proud of her Polynesian Disney Princess, emphasizing that “we don’t need a prince to save us.”
“The film is so reflective of its time now that we’re in a moment of true womanhood and strength and what it means to journey on in your own power.”
Cravalho continues to be excited about her character’s strong-willed journey breaking barriers as a “woman who wasn’t afraid to go beyond the reef.” During the conversation, she also spoke about her experience inMoana2, citing how differently she’s approached it as an adult versus as a 15-year-old, “I’m humbled.” Her appearance and conversation was just one of the Moana 2 reveals at D23, with Cravalho also singing a new song from the upcoming film anddancing with co-star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.Cravalho even finished her talk with, “Stay tuned, we’re only getting started,” leaving it up in the air for a potential sequel afterMoana 2…
Moana 2 is the sequel to the 2016 animated film Moana. Directed by David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, the film continues the journey of Moana as she embarks on new adventures, exploring the vast Pacific Ocean while encountering new characters and challenges along the way.
Prior to Cravalho’s chat with attendees today, writer Jared Bush, directors David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller and producer Christina Chen spoke about the movie altogether for the D23 audience. Bush discussed how they approached a sequel, wondering “What is next for Moana?” He explained that, as far as sequels for musicals go, they aren’t too common, so they wanted to figure out how to correctlytell her next story.
“There was this life out there that she wanted to pursue, but she really loved her island. How does she put those things together? So, finding herself was really important. There is still a lot left for her to discover about herself.”
What Is Moana 2 All About?
Moana was originally released in 2016 to critical acclaim, garnering over $643 million worldwide, two Academy Award nominations and the newest Disney princess. The story follows Moana, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti. As her village continues to struggle, she leaves to fulfill her chosen destiny, and sets sail in the wild ocean in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, to return the relic and save her people.
The next film isset three years laterand is a continued journey following main protagonist Moana as she navigates the waters to attempt to find more people like her own. Called upon by her ancestors, Moana, with the help of demigod Maui and sailors, goes for another adventure in Oceania, running into some old and new problems on the way. Reprising their roles are Cravalho, Johnson, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk, with Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, and Hualālai Chung joining the cast.
Moana Live-Action Remake Gets Exciting Update From Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
The Rock will return to play Maui on the big screen in the live-action remake of Disney’s Moana.
Auli’i Cravalho, meanwhile, has since been booked into other roles between the releases ofMoanaand the upcomingMoana2.Her recent works include lead roles in Amazon’sThe Power(2023), Netflix’sAll Together Now(2020), andHuluoriginals,Crush(2022) andDarby and the Dead(2023).She also appeared in the 2024 musical comedy remakeMean Girlsthat was released earlier this year.Following her starring role inMoana 2,Cravalho will take her talents to Broadway to take over the role of Sally Bowles inCabaret.
Moana 2opens Thanksgiving week on November, 27, 2024. A live action version of the film is also in development, with Johnson reprising his role andwelcoming young actress Catherine Laga’aia as Moana.
