Chloe Auliʻi Cravalho (/aʊˈliːʔi krəˈvɑːljoʊ/; born November 22, 2000) is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut as the voice of the title character in the Disney animated musical film Moana (2016).
Auliʻi Cravalho's life changed forever at age 14 when she was cast as the voice of Disney's “Moana.” The Hawaiian native loved singing and acting, but they were just hobbies to her. So were horseback riding, swimming and microbiology, for that matter. A career in Hollywood seemed implausible at best.
Auli'i Cravalho is searching for the next Moana. In April, Disney confirmed that a live-action reimagining of its 2016 animated hit Moana is in the works, with original voice actors — Dwayne Johnson and Cravalho — as a producer and executive producer, respectively.
Moana (voice: Auli'i Cravalho), Maui (voice: Dwayne Johnson). Not long after the announcement, Johnson revealed that the upcoming live remake is slated to release in theaters on June 27, 2025.
Its main character, 'Moana', features the talents of a young Hawaiian voice over actress. Auli'i Cravalho was only a teen when she won the role but quickly became famous among Disney aficionados for her soprano vocals and infectious energy in her performance.
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
As of early October 2023, Disney has not officially announced the development of Moana 2. In the past decade or so, the studio has progressively veered away from making sequels and instead focused on developing live-action remakes.
Earlier drafts of Moana actually did feature Pua setting out on the adventure but screenwriter Jared Bush (Zootopia) felt it would be more stressful if Moana's best friend and source of comfort didn't come along. This made her journey more powerful when she succeeded.
The film stars Auliʻi Cravalho as the voice of Moana and also features the ensemble voices of Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk.
Moana's age, 16, is less of an issue in her story as it doesn't include a romantic plot, but it still relies on a young girl to overcome dangerous challenges and save the world. Disney princesses have always had an age problem, with characters as young as 14 falling in love, defying parents, and getting married.
If you're looking for a quick answer before diving into the analysis: no, Maui is not Moana's biological father in the film. But their bond and character development does have paternal themes.
The character of Maui is played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson who grew up in Hawai'i. The story of the demigod Maui stretches across the Pacific and is estimated to be over 1000 years old.
Set to premiere on Disney+ in 2024, Moana's sequel series should bring back many of the main characters from the original movie and should bring in a new antagonist and potential threats to Moana and Maui's new friendship.
Oahu, the third-largest island in Hawaii, has been a popular filming location for many Disney movies. One notable film shot on the island is “Moana”, the 2016 animated musical adventure. While not a live-action film, “Moana” is worth mentioning as it beautifully captures the essence of Hawaiian culture and folklore.
“Humbled (and excited) to share our official release date for our live action @disneystudios MOANA June 27, 2025,” wrote Johnson in his post. “It's my privilege to share our legends, songs, and dance of our Polynesian culture with all of you and your families.” Mark your calendars for June 27, 2025 now!
Moana as she appears in Moana (2016). Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana is depicted as the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.
Some enjoy the movie but believe Maui should have been portrayed as a warrior. "As a proud Polynesian woman, it's not often that you see a film like Moana come out. It headlines our Pasifika culture, and it's lead by our Polynesian artists in the industry.
It is a beautiful Hawaiian given name meaning "ocean, sea, or expanse of water." The name has been a firm favorite among Polynesian communities for years, gaining global popularity with the release of Disney's epic animated film in 2016.
Maui (/maʊwiː/) is a fictional character from the animated film Moana. Created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker and voiced by Dwayne Johnson, Maui is loosely based on Māui from Hawaiian mythology.
