There are not a lot of modern Disney princesses, but from the few ones the Mouse House has introduced, Moana has to be the most universally adored. The Polynesian princess was the protagonist of an eponymous movie released in 2016, and will now be transforming from its 3D form into live-action.
It was announced Monday that Disney will be producing a live-action remake of Moana, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson producing as well as reprising his role as demi-god Maui. His was the only casting decision to be officially confirmed by the studios, leaving fans naturally wondering who will take on the courageous teen princess.
Auli’i Cravalho
The obvious choice to take on Moana would be the Hawaiian actress that so perfectly embodied the princess in the 2016 effort. Auli’i Cravalho is actually attached to the live-action project currently as an executive producer, which doesn’t exactly rule out the possibility of a return to the character, but can also indicate that she is now — six years later — looking toward a more distanced role in the adaptation of the film that kickstarted her career.
There’s also the fact that Moana is 16 in the film, and Cravalho — a teen when she first voiced the character — is now 22. Still, many have theorized that the reason why Disney is betting on a live-action version of a film that hasn’t even had the time to become nostalgic yet is precisely that they want the original voice cast to return for it, and don’t want to risk Cravalho getting any older.
Eliana Su’a
Not only is Eliana Su’a currently starring in an upcoming show for Disney Channel called Pretty Freekin Scary, but she has also worked with Dwayne Johnson in the Fast & Furious franchise, playing his daughter Sam. It wouldn’t be surprising if she was fresh in the minds of the makers of the Moana live-action movie, especially considering she’s almost exactly the age of the beloved princess. Su’a is Samoan-Mexican on her father’s side and Argentine-Italian on her mother’s. She hasn’t had the chance to flex her singing muscles yet, but surely she could give it a try for Moana.
Siena Agudong
Like Cravalho, Siena Agudong is another young star from Hawaii and like Su’a she has also crossed paths with both the Disney world and the Fast & Furious universe in the past. The 18-year-old actress should be a well-known figure among younger fans considering she has played lead roles in projects for the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Netflix. She was the fire-wielding Reina in the 2020 fantasy film Upside-Down Magic, the child matchmaker Sophia in Star Falls, and the teenage con artist Nick in No Good Nick. She also played a young Mia Toretto in F9. At a young age, Agudong is already very much a seasoned actress and could attract a lot of young fans to the new Moana film.
Any Gabrielly
Any Gabrielly is not Polynesian, but she is very familiar with the character of Moana. The singer and actress voiced the Disney princess in the Brazilian version of the animated film and is one of the most requested castings for the live-action adaptation across social media. Although that demand comes mostly from how popular she has become as a member of the international music group Now United, it’s an undeniable fact that Gabrielly has the best vocal ability of anyone on this list – rivaled only by the OG Cravalho. At 20 years old, she would be four years older than Moana, but she definitely looks the part.
A newcomer
It’s more than likely that Disney will cast a new face to take on Moana. When she was picked to voice the character, Cravalho was also a newcomer, and look how well that turned out. Furthermore, this would be a great opportunity to launch a new Polynesian star, creating even more representation of the culture in Hollywood. Agudong and Su’a would definitely benefit from the platform to help their careers grow as young actresses in the industry, but it’s uncertain whether they can deliver when it comes to Moana’s clear and pristine vocals.
Cravalho — on the other hand — might sadly look a little too mature to be playing the teenage princess, and Gabrielly would not honor Johnson’s promise of using the live-action adaptation to uplift voices from the Pacific Islands. Finding a break-out star that would bring something completely fresh to the film might also justify producing a remake so soon after the original first premiered.
There is no word yet about when Moana will begin filming or arrive in theaters but We Got This Covered will report on any news as it emerges.