Auli’i Cravalho has already explained why Disney’s live-action ‘Moana’ doesn’t need Zendaya

Disney seems determined to remake every property it possesses, some in a scheme to extend their copyright protection, and the rest in a good old classic scheme to make more money.

We’ve already seen live-action versions of Belle, Mulan, Ariel, Aladdin, Cinderella — even Simba. A huge number of characters are making, or have already made, their way to the new format, but very few of them have succeeded. The projects provide Disney’s creatives with an opportunity to reexamine characters, storylines, and even soundtracks that are no longer as palatable to a young audience, modernize them, and re-release their stories.

But that’s not the case with Moana. The delightful film only came out a handful of years ago, and there’s nothing about it that’s outdated and needs updating. This one’s a result of the latter motivation — money — and nothing more, but that doesn’t mean its doomed from the start. We’re getting Dwayne Johnson back as Maui, which bodes well, but early rumors about the star behind Moana are less promising. Sure, everyone loves Zendaya, but she’ll never be the right fit for the role, and the original Moana already told us why.

Is Zendaya Disney’s live-action Moana?

Deepfakes and skillful edits are a constant hazard, these days, and it seems the rumors about Zendaya’s new role at Disney are a result of the rapidly-spreading technologies. Following the spread of several very convincing images, the claim that Zendaya had been cast as Moana spread like wildfire. Soon, half the web was convinced it was a reality.

But its not. Zendaya has not been tapped to play a live-action Moana, and she likely won’t be. The very same backlash that followed her fake casting announcements would surely ramp up if anyone but a Pacific Islander were cast in the role. Everyone loves Zendaya, but there are plenty of talented actresses from the proper background who would knock the role out of the park, and we’d like to think Disney’s learned enough over the last decade or so to avoid that clear misstep.

Auli’i Cravalho’s already explained why

Only a few details about the eventual Moana live-action are known, just yet, but a few casting details have emerged. As noted above, Dwayne Johnson is already involved — both as an actor and a producer, which is great news for fans of the animated original. Auliʻi Cravalho, the original Moana, is also involved, but she has not been tapped to reprise her role. Instead, she’s currently attached as an executive producer.

It seems the live-action Moana has yet to find its lead, but casting only started a few months ago. It was initially supposed to begin in May of 2023, but it was pushed back to November. That’s only provided the casting team with a bare few months — in the midst of the holiday season, no less — to find the right fit, so its fair no announcements have followed just yet.

It’s all but guaranteed that the woman eventually tapped for the role will come from a Pacific Islander background, however. Johnson has been clear, in gushing about the remake, that he’s thrilled to be telling a story rooted in his culture. He, and many others, would likely reject any actress who doesn’t represent the culture Moana is built around, so no Zendaya castings are in Moana‘s future.

Auli’i Cravalho has likewise thrown her support behind casting a new, “young woman of Pacific Island descent.” She’s happy to step back from the role she popularized in favor of someone else earning their opportunity to shine, but that only stands if its someone from the right background. As Cravalho noted, there are far too few opportunities out there for people from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Reminding people that “our stories are so important to be told,” Cravalho made it clear that she’s relinquishing the role only so another talented Pacific Islander can seize their moment in the sun.