Auli’i Cravalho will appear in the live-action remake of “Moiana“alias” “Moana” no longer plays the main character. Cravalho was cast as the voice actress for Moana/Moana in the original cut of the film when she was 14 and was 16 when the film was released in theaters worldwide. The Hawaiian-born actress is now 22 years old. She would still be young enough to play the youthful Moana, after all, it’s not uncommon for actresses in their mid-twenties or even mid-thirties to play teenage characters. But that won’t happen now.
“When I was 14 as Moana [so heißt die Figur in der amerikanischen Originalfassung, in Europa hingegen Vaiana oder Oceania] Being cast has been an amazing life change and kickstarted my career,” Cravalho said in a video . “In this live-action remake, I’m not playing the part anymore. I think it’s really important that the casting accurately represents the characters and the stories we want to tell.”
It’s unclear if Auli’i Cravalho is saying she’s too old to play the teenage Moana, or if she’s not making a comeback in the Moana/Moana remake for some other reason.
However, she will be involved in the film as an executive producer and in that capacity, helping to find the next Moana/Moana cast member and her “gallant spirit, undeniable smarts, and emotional strength,” Cravalho continued. “I am truly honored to pass the baton to the next woman from one of the Pacific Islandsto honor our incredible peoples, cultures and communities in the Pacific who contribute to Moiana’s history.”
So even though Cravalho won’t be in front of the camera or singing Moana’s familiar songs like “How Far I’ll Go” / “I’m Ready” anymore, she’ll still be behind the camera in the live-action redo. Dwayne Johnson, who plays the demigod Maui in both the animated movie and the remake, isn’t the only returnee announced so far.
However, we are still very early in the Moana/Moana production process. Further details and casting decisions will be announced in the coming weeks, months and possibly even years. The live-action remake currently has no release date.