Auliʻi Cravalho Won’t Return For Live-Action ‘Moana’


A live-action remake of the modern classic Moana is on its way from Disney. The film was announced back in April, so it’s pretty likely that we won’t see it for quite a while.

The original Moana, released in 2016, received two Academy Award nominations, and it also managed to make a whopping $682.6 million at the box office. This whole live-action remake thing seems like it might be a new staple of Disney’s production. Of course, we’ve already had some like The Lion King gold Peter Pan gold Alice in Wonderlandbut rumors about Tangled are floating around. Disney’s also working on a live-action version of Lilo and Stitch.

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While some fans hoped for the star of the original Moana, Auliʻi Cravalho, would reprise her role in the remake, that won’t be happening. In a post to her Instagram account, Cravalho said the following…

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 the cast accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell … So, as an executive producer on the film, I cannot wait to help 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 young woman of Pacific Island descent to honor our incredible peoples, cultures and communities that help inspire her story.

The live action Moana does not yet have a release date.

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