Catherine Laga’aia’s Castmates Laud Her Performance in Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’
Ten years after audiences were first introduced to Moana, Maui, Pua, and Heihei, the young wayfinder is sailing back into theaters for a live-action remake.
“In Disney’s live-action reimagining of the beloved Oscar-nominated animated adventure, Moana (Catherine Lagaʻaia) answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people,” the film’s synopsis reads.
Photo: Disney
Hitting theaters this July, the upcoming film will see newcomer Catherine Laga’aia assume the role of Moana, while Dwayne Johnson reprises his iconic role as Maui.
Disney’s New Moana
As production on Disney’s live-action Moana began, all eyes were on the studio to see who would be chosen to play the titular wayfinder.
Photo: Disney
Early in the process, Auli’i Cravalho announced that she would help produce the film but would not return as Moana.
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career,” she stated in an Instagram post. “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role. I believe it is absolutely vital that casting accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
Eventually, after an extensive search, Disney selected newcomer Catherine Laga’aia as Cravalho’s successor.
“I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites,” Laga’aia said in a statement. “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.”
“I Found Our Moana”
As showcased in a new behind-the-scenes video, Disney’s faith in Laga’aia paid off.
Photo: Disney
“This is a character that is globally beloved. I’ll never forget the day that Tommy, our director, called me and said, ‘I found our Moana.'”
After learning that she had landed the role, Laga’aia quickly shared the news with her family.
Photo: Disney
As shown in the video, she also received an exciting call from Johnson.
“It is such a joy to see Catherine take on the life of this character,” Cravalho said.
Photo: Billboard
“And my gosh, is she strong. Is she beautiful. She is all of these things that we know and love about our main heroine.”
Watch the Video
You can learn more about Laga’aia’s journey in the video below!
“She was unafraid, she was fearless”
Go behind the scenes with Dwayne Johnson, Tommy Kail, and Auliʻi Cravalho on finding Catherine Lagaʻaia, our new live-action Moana. pic.twitter.com/RpZuOOGxhz
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) June 11, 2026
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