Yahoo News Auli'i Carvalho won't reprise her role in Moana live-action remake
Even though Moana was released less than a decade ago, it's already in development for a live-action remake from Disney. Just don't expect to see Auli'I Cravalho, who voiced the titular character, reprise her role in live action.
Cravalho is still an executive producer on the film, as first announced by her costar Dwayne Johnson in April, but she clarified in an Instagram post Friday that she will not be acting in the new Moana.
"When I was cast as Moana at 14, it wonderfully changed my life and started my career," said Cravalho, who recently starred on the Prime Video series The Power. "In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role."
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty; Disney Auli'i Carvalho and her character in 'Moana'
Cravalho continued, "I believe it is absolutely vital that casting 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 am truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent, to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that helped inspire her story."
Released in 2016, Moana tells the story of a young Polynesian girl, the daughter of the local chief, who sets sail from her home island against her parents' wishes to find the missing demigod Maui (Johnson) and restore balance to the world. In doing so, she revives her people's heritage of wayfinding (traveling long distances by boat, using nature for navigation and drawing on a long oral tradition) and helps Maui find redemption.
The original film was directed by Disney legends John Clements and Ron Musker, the same duo who helmed The Little Mermaid in 1989. So as The Little Mermaid's live-action remake approaches this summer, perhaps it's only fitting that a new Moana is also on the horizon.
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