'Moana' Live-Action Film Cast Announced!

 Catherine Laga‘aia Joins Dwayne Johnson in Disney's Live-Action "Moana"

The oceanic adventure of Disney's beloved "Moana" is set to sail again, this time in a live-action rendition arriving in theatres on July 10, 2026. 

Seventeen-year-old Sydney native Catherine Laga‘aia will bring to life the courageous teenager Moana. Laga‘aia, whose roots trace back to Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i, and Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa, expressed her excitement about the role. “I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites,” she shared. “I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.”

The ensemble cast features Auckland's John Tui as Chief Tui, Moana’s steadfast father; Samoan-New Zealand actress Frankie Adams as Moana’s spirited mother, Sina; and Rena Owen from the Bay of Islands, NZ, as the revered Gramma Tala.

See Frankie's post below:

Dwayne Johnson, who originally voiced the larger-than-life demigod Maui in the 2016 animated film, will reprise his iconic role.

Directed by Thomas Kail, known for his work on "Hamilton" and "Grease Live," "Moana" promises to deliver an enchanting cinematic experience. 

The film celebrates the islands, communities, and traditions of Pacific Islanders, bringing Moana's story to life in a spectacular new way. The production team includes Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, and Hiram Garcia of Seven Bucks Productions, Beau Flynn of FlynnPictureCo., and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who will also serve as a producer. Executive producers are Scott Sheldon of FlynnPictureCo., Auli‘i Cravalho (the original voice of Moana), and Charles Newirth.

Screenwriters Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller bring their expertise to the project. Bush, who wrote the screenplay for the 2016 animated "Moana," and Miller, a Samoan writer known for creating Netflix’s "Thai Cave Rescue" and co-founding the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK), ensure the story remains authentic and resonant.

As filming begins this summer, fans worldwide eagerly anticipate this new journey to Motunui and beyond.