'Moana' Live Action Remake Finds Its Cast, Led By Catherine Laga‘aia
'Moana' Live Action Remake Finds Its Cast, Led By Catherine Laga‘aia
Dwayne Johnson was announced to reprise his role as Maui when the film itself was, but now the entire primary cast has been revealed
Disney’s live action remake of Moana is ready to shine and be shiny. Fourteen months after the film was announced to be in development with Dwayne Johnson producing and reprising his role as Maui, the production has proven how far it has gone with its casting. 17-year-old Australian newcomer Catherine Laga‘aia will star as the Polynesian princess who teams with the demigod. In addition, Moana’s elders have been cast as well.
The elated actress’s statement reads “I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites.” She then explains her heritage. “My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.” Her father is actor and singer Jay Laga’aia, who played Captain Typho in the Star Wars prequels.
As for who’s playing Moana’s family, we have John Tui as her father, Chief Tui. The actor is best known as SPD Shadow Ranger Doggie Cruger and Mystic Force Solaris Knight Daggeron among others on Power Rangers. While a lot of his television work is in New Zealand, his Hollywood film work has included Battleship, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Hobbs & Shaw. Frankie Adams is playing her mother Sina, and she was a series regular as Bobbie Draper on the Syfy and Prime Video series The Expanse, with film roles in The Mortal Engines and Next Goal Wins. Gramma Tala will be played by Rena Owen, who has Star Wars experience of her own as Taun We beginning in Attack of the Clones and reprising as recently as The Bad Batch.
Thomas Kail is directing the film currently set for release July 10, 2026 and he said “I am thrilled to have met Catherine, Rena, Frankie and John through this casting process. I am humbled by this opportunity, and I cannot wait to all be on set together. And there’s no better pair to be in a canoe with than Catherine and Dwayne—actually, trio: Heihei is ready, too.” Previously, he directed Broadway’s Hamilton and the premiere and finale episodes of the Hulu limited series We Were the Lucky Ones. Remaking a film that only turns a decade old that following November might seem a bit fast, and it is, but the film has been one of the most-streamed domestically every full year that Disney+ has existed, finally peaking at No. 1 last year after being No. 4 the year before and No. 2 the two years previous, so there’s money in the eyes. While originally set for a June 2025 release, it was allowed a little more age for distance away from an animated sequel, Moana 2 with a reprising Auli’i Cravalho that’s set for a theatrical release this November 27, transforming from a Disney+ series.
Cravalho does serve as an executive producer and a mentor to Laga’aia. The new feature film is produced by Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia via their Seven Bucks Productions and Beau Flynn through FlynnPictureCo. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the original songs, will also serve as producer. The other executive producers are Scott Sheldon of FlynnPictureCo. and Charles Newirth.
Source: The Walt Disney Company