Who Is Moana’s Live-Action Actress, Catherine Laga’aia?

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Disney has introduced Catherine Laga’aia, who will play Moana in the upcoming live-action film. After a worldwide search to find a new actress to take on the role originally voiced by Auliʻi Cravalho, Laga’aia was cast in June 2024. Filming took place from July to November 2024, and the movie is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 10, 2026.

Disney recently shared the first glimpse of its live-action Moana remake, including a poster and trailer revealing Catherine Laga’aia as Moana.

Born in Sydney, Australia on December 17, 2006, Laga’aia was 17 years old when she was cast in Moana. Similar to the character she plays, the young actress is Polynesian, and she shared in a Disney statement how thrilled she was to represent young girls who share her background.

I’m so thrilled to be taking on this role! Moana has always been a huge inspiration to me, and it means everything to be able to connect with my heritage while doing it. My grandfather’s side of the family is from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i, and my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on ‘Upolu, both in Samoa. It’s a real honor to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Islanders, and especially to be a role model for young girls who share my background.

Laga’aia is proud to connect with her family’s traditions while also launching her film career with Moana, her first movie role. Before this, she appeared in three episodes of the 2023 Australian drama series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, which streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

The actress has a family history of talent – her father, Jay Laga’aia, is also an actor. He’s widely recognized for his role as Captain Typho, the captain of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, in the Star Wars prequels, where he was known for wearing an eyepatch.

Jay Laga’aia and his wife, Sandie Jane, have eight children, and Catherine is one of the younger ones. It seems her sister, Bella, might also be working with Disney! Jay recently shared on Instagram that Bella has been very busy after filming a commercial at the Disney Studios in Sydney.

Catherine Laga’aia will direct the live-action remake of Moana, scheduled for release on July 10, 2026. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson will return to play Maui in the new film.

John Tui, known for his roles in movies like Hobbs & Shaw, will play Moana’s father, Chief Tui. Frankie Adams will portray her mother, Sina. Interestingly, Adams previously played an older version of Candy Blue in the Amazon Prime Video series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, a character originally played by Catherine Laga’aia.

The Moana Franchise’s Future Looks Brighter Than Ever

I’m really hoping Moana does well in theaters – unlike Snow White this year! If it’s a hit, I think it could launch a whole series of films starring Catherine Laga’aia. There’s already a Moana sequel out now, even if it didn’t get the best reviews, and I could totally see that being turned into a live-action movie too, down the line.

Although Rose Laga’aia is set to play Moana in a new project, this doesn’t automatically mean she’s taking over the role from Auliʻi Cravalho. Disney is reportedly working on Moana 3, which would likely feature the return of both Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui for another ocean adventure.

The directors of the upcoming Moana 3 have hinted the story will focus on what happens now that Moana has been brought back as a demigod, as fans might expect. If the Moana movies continue to be successful, similar exciting opportunities could come up for actress Auli’i Cravalho.

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2025-11-17 21:05