Exciting News! Catherine Laga‘aia Cast as Moana in Disney’s Live-Action “Moana”

(Pictured): Catherine Laga’aia. Photo by Alexei Hay. © 2024 Alexei Hay. All Rights Reserved.

 

Guess what? Catherine Laga‘aia from Australia is going to be the new Moana in Disney’s live-action “Moana”! She will embark on an amazing adventure to save her people, sailing across the ocean to the magical island of Motunui.

But that’s not all! Joining Catherine is Dwayne Johnson, who will be back as the hilarious and heroic Maui, just like in the animated movie. The cast also features John Tui from Auckland as Moana’s tough but loving dad, Chief Tui. Frankie Adams, a Samoan-New Zealand actress, will play Moana’s fun and strong mom, Sina. Rena Owen, from Bay of Islands, NZ, will be the wise and wonderful Gramma Tala.

The movie is set to hit Australian cinemas on July 9, 2026, and it’s directed by Thomas Kail, who made “Hamilton” on Broadway and Disney+. He also worked on “Grease Live” and the series “We Were the Lucky Ones.”

This live-action “Moana” will bring the story to life like never before, celebrating the islands, communities, and traditions of Pacific Islanders. Filming starts this summer, and it’s going to be a spectacular adventure!

The movie is produced by Dwayne Johnson and his team at Seven Bucks Productions, along with Beau Flynn from FlynnPictureCo. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the songs for the original movie, is also a producer. The executive producers include Scott Sheldon, Auli‘i Cravalho (the original voice of Moana), and Charles Newirth. The screenplay is written by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, who are both very talented writers with amazing backgrounds.

Get ready for an incredible journey with Moana, Maui, and all their friends in this new live-action film! We can’t wait to see it!