There are not a lot of modern Disney princesses, but from the few the Mouse House has introduced, Moana has to be the most universally adored. The Polynesian princess was the protagonist of an eponymous movie released in 2016, and will now be transforming from its 2D form into live-action.
Not to be confused with the animated sequel to the 2016 film, currently titled Moana 2, this live-action will be produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who will also be reprising his role as demi-god Maui. His was the only casting decision to be officially confirmed by the studios, leaving fans naturally wondering who will take on the courageous teen princess.
Why Zendaya shouldn’t play Moana
Zendaya’s physical resemblance to the character and massive popularity among young audiences made her a recurrent fan-casting for the role of Moana, with a fan-made trailer even going viral in 2023. This combination, however, is unlikely, seeing as Johnson has promised that the film will strive to uplift voices from the Pacific Islands. The Dune actress is African-American, with Nigerian, German, and Scottish ancestry, and as such would not be representative of Moana’s culture and roots which the original film so beautifully celebrates.
The known acting pool from the Polynesian region is, frankly, limited, due to the lack of opportunity and the obstacles keeping young actors from the region from making a career in Hollywood. As expected, considering its status as a U.S. state, all but one of the actresses on this list are Hawaiian. While there is a rich community of actors coming from Samoa, we couldn’t find any established young actresses from the South Pacific country.
Eliana Su’a
Not only is Eliana Su’a currently starring in a show for Disney Channel called Pretty Freekin Scary, but she has also worked with Dwayne Johnson in the Fast & Furious franchise, playing his daughter Sam. It wouldn’t be surprising if she was fresh in the minds of the makers of the Moana live-action movie, especially considering she’s almost exactly the age of the beloved princess. Su’a is Samoan-Mexican on her father’s side and Argentine-Italian on her mother’s. She hasn’t had the chance to flex her singing muscles yet, but surely she could give it a try for Moana.
Siena Agudong
Siena Agudong might be familiar to Disney fans as the sister of Sydney Agudong, the actress cast to play Nani in the Lilo & Stitch live-action film. Although both sisters were born in Kauai, Hawaii, Sydney’s casting was highly controversial, with some fans claiming she wasn’t dark enough for the role and that, despite being born in Hawaii, had no Polynesian ancestry.
Siena could be on Disney’s radar as Syndey’s sister but also as a former Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and Netflix star. The 19-year-old’s roles include the fire-wielding Reina in the 2020 fantasy film Upside-Down Magic, the child matchmaker Sophia in Star Falls, and the teenage con artist Nick in No Good Nick. She also played a young Mia Toretto in F9. At a young age, Agudong is already very much a seasoned actress and could attract a lot of young fans to the new Moana film.
Kea Peahu
Young Hawaiian-Filipino star Kea Peahu made her feature film debut in Netflix’s Finding ‘Ohana as one of two Brooklyn-raised siblings who go on a treasure hunt while reconnecting with their Hawaiian heritage. Peahu was born and raised in O’ahu and lived there until she was 8 years old. At 16, she is the perfect age to play Moana, even if she seems to be dedicating most of her time to her other love, dancing, these days.
Mainei Kinimaka
So much of Moana is about the princess’s connection to the sea and we’d argue no one understands that relationship better than Hawaiian actress Mainei Kinimaka. Growing up on the island of Kaua’i, Kinimaka picked up after her dad, famous surfer Titus Kinimaka, and started riding waves at 4 years old.
As a teen, she developed a love for filmmaking, which her cousin Jason Mamoa encouraged and supported, eventually starring in the series See and Chief of War opposite the Hollywood leading man. Kinimaka is 25 and a bit mature for the role of Moana but her deep appreciation for Hawaiian culture and the wonders of the ocean would make her the perfect fit for the role.
A newcomer
It’s more than likely that Disney will cast a new face to take on Moana. When she was picked to voice the character, Auliʻi Cravalho was also a newcomer, and look how well that turned out. Furthermore, this would be a great opportunity to launch a new Polynesian star, creating even more representation of the culture in Hollywood. Agudong, Su’a, Kinimaka, and Peahu would definitely benefit from the platform to help their careers grow as young actresses in the industry, but it’s uncertain whether they can deliver when it comes to Moana’s clear and pristine vocals.
Cravalho, who has respectfully declined the live-action role, saying the casting should “accurately represent the characters and stories we want to tell,” is attached as an executive producer. Finding a break-out star that would bring something completely fresh to the film might also justify producing a remake so soon after the original first premiered.
The live-action Moana has been given a release date of June 27, 2025, but, don’t worry, Moana 2 is coming out much sooner on Nov. 27, 2024.
