Disney’s live-action version of “Moana” is bound to be a hit. Starring Samoan-Australian newcomer Catherine Laga’aia, it’s a celebration of culture, music, and the story we all know and love.
In an interview with Variety Australia, director Thomas Kail and Laga’aia played coy when asked about the possibility of a live-action “Moana 2.” The animated version came out in November 2024.
“I’m so excited for ‘Moana’ to come out,” Kail joked, before Laga’aia said: “[‘Moana’] hasn’t even dropped yet!”
However, Kail adds that if there’s an audience appetite for the sequel, it’s a real possibility. “We hope that we do a job that makes people say, ‘Oh, I wonder what’s next’,” he said.
The director added that viewers will be blown away by Laga’aia’s version of Moana. “She was so facile and so ready [on set]… she’s doing stunts, she’s swimming, she’s dancing, she’s singing, there are pigs, there are large crabs,” he said.
“She stepped into this [role] with both humility and also this great sense of play and courage, all of those things were sort of swirled around, and I think that’s why her Moana feels so vital and so vibrant.”
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The director recalled how “game” the young star was. Even when water cannons were blasting or she was attempting big stunts, she never lost her energy or joy. “She’s like, let’s go again! She was very game, to say the least,” he said.
For Laga’aia, the most terrifying part of the shoot was filming underwater. Production provided a safety team and Navy Seals who were in the water with her, so while she felt safe, it was still tough.
“The hardest part of it is you just can’t see anything [underwater], you just have no idea what’s going on,” she said. “You have to think about so many different things.”
However, she is so proud to have been able to represent her culture on the world stage. “To be introduced to the world in a way that’s so attached to my culture and where I come from, I think that’s such a, kind of, blessing.”
“Moana” will be released in Australian cinemas on July 8, 2026.