Nearly ten years after Disney introduced audiences to the world of Moana, the beloved animated musical has returned as a live-action feature. Directed by Thomas Kail, the new adaptation revisits the story of the adventurous young wayfinder from Motunui while introducing a new generation of actors to bring its iconic characters to life.
The film stars Catherine Laga’aia as Moana, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as the shapeshifting demigod Maui. While several characters have been recast, a few familiar voices from the 2016 animated classic have returned for the remake.
Here’s a complete guide to the major characters in Disney’s live-action Moana, the actors portraying them, and who originally voiced them in the animated film.
Moana
Live-Action: Catherine Laga’aia
Australian actress Catherine Laga’aia makes her feature-film debut as Moana after being selected through an international casting search. Before landing Disney’s biggest new leading role, the 19-year-old appeared in the television drama The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, portraying the younger version of Candy, a character played by Frankie Adams.
Laga’aia comes from a family of performers. Her father, Jay Laga’aia, is best known for portraying Captain Typho in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Taking on the role of Moana marks her first major feature film and introduces a new Polynesian actress to one of Disney’s most popular modern franchises.
Animated Film: Auli’i Cravalho
The original Moana was voiced by Auli’i Cravalho, who was only 14 years old when she was cast in the 2016 animated film. Her performance, along with the Academy Award-nominated song “How Far I’ll Go,” helped establish Moana as one of Disney Animation’s defining heroines.
Although Cravalho does not reprise the role in the live-action adaptation, she remains closely involved with the project as an executive producer.
Maui
Live-Action: Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, making him the only principal cast member to reprise his role from the animated film. The charismatic demigod once again joins Moana on her voyage across the ocean to restore the Heart of Te Fiti.
Johnson also serves as a producer through Seven Bucks Productions and performs an updated version of the fan-favorite song “You’re Welcome.”
Animated Film: Dwayne Johnson
Johnson originally voiced Maui in Disney’s 2016 animated feature, quickly making the larger-than-life demigod one of the franchise’s most memorable characters. His return helps bridge the animated and live-action versions.
Chief Tui
Live-Action: John Tui
New Zealand actor John Tui portrays Chief Tui, Moana’s father and the respected leader of Motunui. Protective of both his daughter and his people, Chief Tui discourages Moana from venturing beyond the island’s reef despite recognizing her potential to one day lead the community.
Tui is known for appearing in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and numerous television productions.
Animated Film: Temuera Morrison
In the original film, Chief Tui was voiced by Temuera Morrison, while Broadway performer Christopher Jackson provided the character’s singing voice.
Sina
Live-Action: Frankie Adams
Frankie Adams takes over the role of Sina, Moana’s mother. Unlike Chief Tui, Sina understands her daughter’s connection to the ocean but also fears the dangers that lie beyond Motunui.
Adams is best known internationally for portraying Bobbie Draper in Amazon Prime Video’s science-fiction series The Expanse.
Animated Film: Nicole Scherzinger
Singer and actress Nicole Scherzinger voiced Sina in the 2016 animated film, bringing warmth and emotional depth to the character.
Gramma Tala
Live-Action: Rena Owen
Veteran New Zealand actress Rena Owen steps into the role of Gramma Tala, Moana’s grandmother and spiritual guide. The free-spirited elder encourages Moana to embrace her destiny and serves as the emotional heart of the story.
Owen is widely recognized for Once Were Warriors and has appeared in several Star Wars projects, including Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and The Bad Batch.
Animated Film: Rachel House
The character was originally voiced by acclaimed actress Rachel House, whose performance made Gramma Tala one of the franchise’s most beloved supporting characters.
Tamatoa
Live-Action: Jemaine Clement
Jemaine Clement reprises his role as Tamatoa, the enormous, jewel-encrusted crab who lives in the Realm of Monsters and is obsessed with collecting anything that sparkles. One of the most memorable villains from the original film, Tamatoa once again crosses paths with Moana and Maui while guarding Maui’s magical fishhook. The character is brought to life entirely through advanced CGI, allowing Disney to recreate his colorful shell and larger-than-life personality in live action. Clement also returns to perform the fan-favorite musical number “Shiny,” one of the standout songs from the franchise.
Animated Film: Jemaine Clement
Clement originally voiced Tamatoa in Disney’s 2016 animated film, drawing inspiration from legendary glam rock artists for the character’s flamboyant personality and theatrical performance style. His return makes him one of only two principal cast members—alongside Dwayne Johnson—to reprise the same role in the live-action adaptation, preserving one of the original film’s most distinctive performances.
Pua
Live-Action
Moana’s loyal pet pig Pua returns in the live-action remake after becoming one of the most beloved characters from the animated film. Disney uses a combination of trained pigs, animatronics, and CGI enhancements to recreate the character with greater realism while preserving his playful and affectionate personality. Unlike the original film, where Pua spent much of the story back on Motunui, the live-action adaptation gives the beloved companion a more visible presence throughout Moana’s adventure.
Animated Film
In the 2016 animated feature, Pua did not have spoken dialogue. Instead, his vocalizations were created using real pig sounds combined with additional effects by legendary voice actor Frank Welker, one of Hollywood’s most prolific performers of animated animal characters. Welker’s extensive résumé includes iconic characters from Scooby-Doo, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Smurfs, and hundreds of other animated productions.
Heihei
Live-Action
The perpetually confused rooster Heihei once again joins Moana’s voyage across the ocean, providing much of the film’s comic relief. Disney combines cutting-edge CGI with practical puppetry and on-set reference work to recreate the bird’s unpredictable movements and expressive reactions. While Heihei rarely understands the danger surrounding him, his accidental heroics and chaotic behavior continue to make him one of the franchise’s most recognizable supporting characters.
Animated Film: Alan Tudyk
In the original animated film, Alan Tudyk provided Heihei’s unforgettable chicken sounds, turning a largely non-verbal character into one of Disney Animation’s breakout comedic creations. Tudyk, who has voiced characters in nearly every Disney Animation film since Wreck-It Ralph, also returned to voice Heihei in Moana 2, making the rooster one of the studio’s most enduring comic sidekicks.
Te Kā and Te Fiti
The mythical figures Te Fiti and Te Kā remain central to Moana’s journey in the live-action adaptation. Te Fiti is the benevolent island goddess whose magical heart brings life and balance to the ocean, while Te Kā is the destructive lava demon created after Maui steals that heart. Restoring the Heart of Te Fiti—and ultimately revealing the connection between the two forms—remains the emotional and thematic core of the story.
In the original animated film, Rachel House provided the vocalizations for Te Kā, while Te Fiti communicated almost entirely through facial expressions and visual storytelling rather than spoken dialogue. The live-action remake recreates both characters through extensive CGI and visual effects, emphasizing their immense scale, elemental powers, and mythological significance while remaining faithful to the original designs.
Kakamora
The mischievous Kakamora pirates return as some of Moana and Maui’s most unusual adversaries. Instantly recognizable by their coconut-shell armor, the tiny seafaring warriors may appear harmless at first glance, but they prove to be resourceful fighters capable of launching elaborate attacks from their floating pirate vessels. Their encounters with Moana provide some of the film’s most energetic action sequences.
While the Kakamora served as memorable supporting antagonists in the 2016 animated film, Disney has significantly expanded their role in the live-action adaptation. The remake explores more of their culture and gives them additional screen time, making them a larger part of the adventure than in the original story.
Moni (New Character)
One of the biggest additions to Disney’s live-action remake is Moni, portrayed by Hualālai Chung. Unlike most of the principal characters, Moni does not appear in the 2016 animated film and has been created specifically for the live-action adaptation.
Moni is a young villager from Motunui who idolizes Maui and enthusiastically embraces the legends surrounding the demigod. His admiration often leads to humorous moments, while also helping expand the daily life and community of Motunui beyond what audiences saw in the animated original. By introducing Moni, the remake adds a fresh perspective to the familiar story while giving viewers more time with the island’s people before Moana begins her voyage.
A New Cast Brings Disney’s Classic Adventure to Life
While Disney’s live-action Moana remains faithful to the spirit of the 2016 animated classic, its cast blends returning favorites with a new generation of Polynesian performers. Dwayne Johnson and Jemaine Clement reprise the roles that helped define the original film, while Catherine Laga’aia steps into the spotlight as Disney’s newest live-action heroine.
Whether audiences are revisiting Motunui or discovering the story for the first time, the live-action adaptation introduces familiar characters through fresh performances while honoring the legacy of the animated film that inspired it.
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