Auli’i Cravalho, the voice behind Disney’s beloved character Moana, has expressed her excitement at passing the torch to Catherine Lagaʻaia, who stars in the live-action adaptation of the animated classic. Both actresses recently shared their thoughts with PEOPLE regarding the new film, which hit cinemas on July 10.
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The two met under less-than-glamorous circumstances during pre-production. Cravalho, who hails from Hawaii and voices Moana in the original 2016 film and its upcoming sequel, described their initial encounter as “one of the not glamorous days on set.” Lagaʻaia, only 19 years old and from Sydney, Australia, agreed, admitting that it was “truly one of the worst we could have met.”
Their meeting was marked by comic strangeness, as Cravalho recalled Lagaʻaia making funny faces during the face-scanning process for the live-action film. “Yeah, Sis was emoting!” she remarked. Lagaʻaia, feeling a bit embarrassed, explained that she was required to express a range of emotions while being filmed. “You have to be angry and look around in circles. You do a big face, look around in circles,” she laughed.
The moment took a delightful turn when Lagaʻaia heard Cravalho’s voice in the background and mistakenly thought someone was playing the animated film. In a surprising twist, she discovered that it was Cravalho herself sitting nearby. “Of all days!” she exclaimed, finding the timing both amusing and serendipitous.
Both actresses share a unique connection as they have each portrayed Disney’s iconic heroine. They made their film debuts alongside Dwayne Johnson, who reprises his role as Maui in the live-action version. Cravalho also serves as an executive producer for the movie, alongside Johnson. The three recently collaborated on a new song, “Along the Way,” composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which appears in the film’s credits.
Before meeting Lagaʻaia, Cravalho reached out through email, offering her support while also encouraging her to embrace her role. “I’m here if you need me. But also, this is entirely your own. This is your film,” she wrote.
Upon spending time with Lagaʻaia, Cravalho was relieved to note that the young actress exuded confidence and charisma. “Catherine walked in with that kind of energy,” Cravalho stated. “She didn’t need nothing from me.” This evident self-assurance reassured Cravalho as she witnessed Lagaʻaia’s enthusiasm in stepping into the character of Moana.
Lagaʻaia herself acknowledged that bringing Moana to life in live-action form requires a different approach than the animated version. “A live-action Moana is simply going to be something different,” she shared. “There’s no way to make it exactly as it was.” She emphasised the importance of embracing this change, urging everyone involved to step into the project with ambition and creativity.
The live-action Moana features a talented cast, including Rena Owen, John Tui, and Frankie Adams. As Cravalho prepares for her next role as the voice of Jessica Cruz in the upcoming Adult Swim series, My Adventures with Green Lantern, she can take pride in her integral role in both the animated and live-action iterations of this cherished story.
As audiences flock to theatres to experience the new chapter of Moana’s adventures, both actresses hope that the film resonates with viewers in the same way the original did. With the torch officially passed, the franchise can continue to inspire and entertain a new generation of fans.