Actress Auli’i Cravalho has confirmed she won’t be returning for Disney’s live-action remake of its animated hit “Moana” which is in development at the studio.
The original film opened theatrically on Thanksgiving weekend in 2016, earning strong reviews and $683 million worldwide. It remains one of Disney’s best performers on VOD and SVOD platforms.
The project was first announced back in April in a surprise video by star Dwayne Johnson who will be reprising his role of Maui in the film. Johnson and his usual cohorts Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn are producing, as are Scott Sheldon and Cravalho herself.
However the 22-year-old actress confirms today in an Instagram posting that she won’t be returning to the screen:
“When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career. 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.
I can’t wait to find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit and emotional strength. I’m truly honored to pass this baton to the next woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures and communities that help inspire her story, and I look forward to all the beautiful Pacific representation to come. Mahalo.”
Original film screenwriter Jared Bush is also involved in some capacity, as is Samoan industry pro Dana Ledoux Miller. The film is seen as something of a test of Disney’s animation-to-live action films, as it’s by far the most recent title to score the remake treatment.
