A Moana live-action remake seemingly came out of nowhere when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced it last month, In that announcement, Johnson announced his involvement in the remake — including that he would be returning as Maui — but it appears that the film's lead, Auli'i Cravalho, may have other plans.
In an Instagram post shared to her 752k+ followers, Cravalho confirmed that she will not be a part of the cast of the film, “I believe it is absolutely vital [that] the cast accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
However, she is going to be an executive producer on the project and said, “As an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana's courageous spirit, undeniable wit, and emotional strength. I'm truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that helped inspired her story. And I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come.”
Auli'i Cravalho, who was just a teenager when the animated Moana film was made/released, got her start in that film. However, she has gone on to work on other projects, including the upcoming Mean Girls musical. It's great to see her retain some connection to the upcoming remake, as she'll have a chance to get her voice heard.
Moana follows its titular character on her journey to find Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to save her people. The film featured songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was at the peak of his popularity at this time hot on the heels of Hamilton's success. The film grossed $643,331,111 worldwide during its theatrical run. While a live-action remake is inevitable these days, this is the most recent animated film to get a live-action adaptation this soon.
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