The Moana 2026 cast and characters bring the animated story into live action with Catherine Lagaʻaia leading the film as Moana and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui. Rena Owen, John Tui and Frankie Adams play Moana’s closest family members, while Jemaine Clement reprises his voice role as Tamatoa.
Most of the principal human characters have new live-action performers. Johnson and Clement provide direct continuity with the animated movie, and original Moana voice actor Auliʻi Cravalho remains involved behind the scenes as an executive producer.
Moana 2026 Cast at a Glance
| Character | 2026 performer | Role in the story | Cast status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moana | Catherine Lagaʻaia | Motunui’s young wayfinder and the film’s central character | New live-action performer |
| Maui | Dwayne Johnson | Shape-shifting demigod who joins Moana’s voyage | Returning performer |
| Gramma Tala | Rena Owen | Moana’s grandmother, storyteller and guide | New live-action performer |
| Chief Tui | John Tui | Moana’s father and chief of Motunui | New live-action performer |
| Sina | Frankie Adams | Moana’s mother | New live-action performer |
| Tamatoa | Jemaine Clement | Giant fantasy crab with a history involving Maui | Returning voice performer |
Disney’s official movie page lists Lagaʻaia, Johnson, John Tui, Adams and Owen among the principal cast, while a later Disney announcement confirms Clement’s return as Tamatoa.
Cast verified: July 2026
The principal roles above are based on official Disney information. Spoiler-sensitive identities and unconfirmed cameos are not included in the quick cast table.
The dedicated Moana 2026 movie page on 0123movies is the main title hub for the movie and the player information currently displayed by the site.
Meet the Main Cast of Moana 2026
The central ensemble is built around Moana’s voyage, her relationship with Maui and the family members who shape her responsibilities on Motunui. Each performer has a clear place in that structure, so the useful question is not merely who appears, but how each character connects to Moana.
Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana
Catherine Lagaʻaia takes the title role as the teenager chosen by the Ocean to travel beyond Motunui’s reef. Moana is caught between the future expected of her at home and the pull she feels toward the sea, making the character both the story’s adventurer and its future leader.
The role marks Lagaʻaia’s feature-film debut. She was selected after an extensive worldwide search led by casting directors Bernard Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield, with thousands of young women auditioning for the part. Lagaʻaia was 17 when she secured the role and had to shift quickly from school into a large live-action musical production.
Her performance differs from Auliʻi Cravalho’s animated work in a basic but important way. Cravalho created Moana through voice and song, while Lagaʻaia must also carry the character through facial expression, physical movement, choreography and scenes built around water and visual effects.
The two performers are connected rather than positioned as rivals. Disney says Lagaʻaia sought advice from Cravalho while developing her own interpretation of Moana.
Dwayne Johnson as Maui
Maui remains Moana’s powerful, boastful and often difficult travelling companion. He is a demigod known for shape-shifting, larger-than-life stories and a confidence that does not always match his choices.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the clearest links between the animated and live-action films. He voiced Maui in the 2016 movie and returns to portray the character physically in 2026. Johnson also serves as one of the film’s producers.
Animation allowed Maui’s body, tattoos and transformations to change instantly around Johnson’s vocal performance. Live action asks him to build the same personality through movement, costume, expression and interaction with Lagaʻaia. The humor now depends partly on what Johnson does in the frame rather than what animators create after the recording session.
His musical role also continues. Disney confirms that Johnson performs with Lagaʻaia and Cravalho on the new song “Along the Way.”
Rena Owen as Gramma Tala
Rena Owen plays Gramma Tala, Moana’s grandmother and one of the people who understands her bond with the Ocean most clearly. Tala acts as a family elder, storyteller and trusted guide, offering Moana a perspective that differs from the more cautious position taken by her parents.
The role was voiced by Rachel House in the animated film. Owen takes over the live-action version, placing the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter in face-to-face scenes between two performers.
Tala’s importance comes from what she recognizes in Moana. She understands that the girl’s interest in the sea is not simply disobedience or restlessness, and she helps Moana connect her personal calling with Motunui’s history.
Disney identifies Owen as the live-action Gramma Tala in both its cast announcement and later promotional material.
John Tui as Chief Tui
John Tui portrays Chief Tui, Moana’s father and the leader of Motunui. He expects his daughter to take on responsibility within the community, but his protective instincts put him in direct conflict with her desire to cross the reef.
That disagreement gives the character more purpose than simply standing in Moana’s way. Tui sees the island as the place where his family is safe and where Moana’s future should be built. She sees the Ocean as part of the responsibility she is trying to understand.
The animated character had separate speaking and singing credits: Temuera Morrison provided Chief Tui’s speaking voice, while Christopher Jackson handled his singing. John Tui takes on the live-action role as a physical performance, though individual musical credits should be checked against the final soundtrack rather than assumed.
Disney announced John Tui as Chief Tui alongside the rest of Moana’s immediate family.
Frankie Adams as Sina
Frankie Adams plays Sina, Moana’s mother. Sina shares Chief Tui’s concern for their daughter but has a softer understanding of Moana’s connection to the water and her need to discover what lies beyond the life already planned for her.
Nicole Scherzinger voiced Sina in the animated movie. Adams steps into the live-action role as part of the new family cast, working alongside John Tui and Rena Owen.
Her character should not be reduced to a generic supportive-parent label. Sina belongs to the tension at the center of Moana’s home life: she wants to keep her daughter safe while recognizing that Moana’s questions cannot simply be ignored.
Who Returns from the Animated Moana?
Most of the live-action human roles have been recast, but the new production keeps several important connections with the earlier films. Those links involve acting, voice work, music and production rather than one identical cast returning across formats.
Dwayne Johnson Returns as Maui
Johnson has played Maui across three major entries in the franchise: the 2016 animated film, the animated sequel Moana 2 and the 2026 live-action adaptation. The first two are voice performances, while the third puts him on screen as the character.
That makes Maui the most visible example of cast continuity. The performer remains the same, but the acting method changes.
Jemaine Clement Returns as Tamatoa
Jemaine Clement reprises his role as the voice of Tamatoa, the giant fantasy crab associated with Maui and his past. Unlike the principal human characters, Tamatoa remains a digitally created figure supported by a voice performance.
Disney formally confirmed Clement’s return in June 2026, identifying him as the same performer who voiced the character in the animated film.
His presence gives the remake another direct cast connection to 2016. It also avoids the awkwardness of asking a new performer to imitate a vocal performance closely tied to the character’s musical personality.
Auliʻi Cravalho’s Role in the Live-Action Film
Auliʻi Cravalho does not play the live-action Moana. Catherine Lagaʻaia leads the film, while Cravalho serves as an executive producer after voicing Moana in both animated features.
Her involvement also extends to the music. Cravalho performs the new song “Along the Way” with Lagaʻaia and Johnson, connecting the animated and live-action versions through three voices associated with Moana and Maui.
That is different from appearing as another character on screen. Unless an official final credit confirms a cameo, her verified roles should be described as executive producer and musical performer.
For a wider look at how the two films differ, see Moana 2026 vs Moana 2016.
Moana’s Family and Their Character Relationships
Moana’s family is not just background to the voyage. Chief Tui, Sina and Gramma Tala represent different ideas about responsibility, protection and how much freedom Moana should have to discover her own path.
| Family member | Relationship to Moana | Main influence |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Tui | Father | Leadership, safety and responsibility to Motunui |
| Sina | Mother | Protection, understanding and family support |
| Gramma Tala | Grandmother | Guidance, history and Moana’s connection with the Ocean |
Moana and Chief Tui
Tui wants Moana to become a capable leader, but he imagines that future entirely within Motunui. His fear of the sea and his duty to protect the community make him suspicious of her desire to travel beyond the reef.
Their disagreement is therefore about two competing ideas of responsibility. Tui believes Moana must remain where her people need her. Moana slowly comes to believe that helping them requires leaving.
Moana and Sina
Sina sees more of her daughter’s restlessness than Tui is willing to acknowledge. She still worries about the dangers beyond the island, but her relationship with Moana carries more quiet understanding.
The live-action role is played by Frankie Adams, while Nicole Scherzinger provided Sina’s animated voice. The cast change does not alter the basic family connection, though individual scene emphasis belongs in the separate comparison article.
Moana and Gramma Tala
Tala gives Moana space to ask questions that others would rather close down. Their relationship is built on trust, storytelling and a shared willingness to look beyond Motunui’s present circumstances.
Rena Owen’s performance places that bond at the center of the live-action family dynamic. Tala is not simply an older relative offering advice; she is the person who helps Moana see that her interest in the Ocean has a deeper connection to who she is.
Supporting, Animal and Fantasy Characters
Not every memorable character in Moana has a conventional actor credit. The story includes real or effects-assisted animals, digitally created creatures and groups whose performances may be divided among visual-effects artists, sound teams and voice contributors.
Pua and Heihei
Pua is Moana’s pig companion, while Heihei is the confused rooster who supplies much of the animal comedy. Both appear in Disney’s official live-action artwork and promotional images.
Their presence is easy to confirm; their precise production methods are less straightforward. A final cast guide should not guess whether every shot used a real animal, animatronic, digital double or a combination of methods unless Disney releases a production breakdown.
The same rule applies to sound credits. A non-speaking animal character can involve vocal effects without having a standard dialogue performance.
Tamatoa
Tamatoa is a digitally created giant crab voiced by Jemaine Clement. The character’s visual presentation depends on effects work, while Clement supplies the personality and vocal continuity from the animated original.
His musical material is relevant to the cast, but a full breakdown of songs and recordings belongs on the soundtrack page.
Kakamora and Te Kā
The Kakamora function as a group rather than a single named character with one obvious performer. Their design, movement and action scenes are more likely to involve an ensemble of stunt, effects and performance contributions than a standard one-person cast credit.
Te Kā is a major volcanic figure in Moana’s journey. Describing the character further would reveal information better left out of a spoiler-free cast guide. Any named performance credit should be taken from the final film credits rather than inferred from a database.
How the Live-Action Cast Was Chosen
The cast was assembled as more than a group of recognizable names around Dwayne Johnson. Disney conducted a broad search for its new Moana and built a much larger ensemble from performers connected to Pacific communities.
The Search for the New Moana
Bernard Telsey and Tiffany Little Canfield led an extensive worldwide casting search for the title role. Disney says thousands of young women auditioned before Catherine Lagaʻaia’s tape caught Thomas Kail’s attention.
Lagaʻaia had television experience, but Moana marks her first feature film. That distinction matters: she was not entirely new to acting, yet she had never carried a production of this scale.
Her casting also gave the remake a lead who could approach Moana as her own role rather than attempt a physical imitation of Cravalho’s animated performance.
A Pacific Ensemble
Disney reports that the production includes more than 200 actors from across the Pacific. The company presents that ensemble as part of a wider collaboration involving creative talent and communities from the region.
That number helps show the scale of the casting effort, but it should not be used as a substitute for examining individual credits. A large ensemble can support the setting and community scenes; accurate attribution still depends on the final credit list.
How the Live-Action Cast Connects to the 2016 Film
The remake combines returning voices with new performers rather than bringing back the entire animated cast.
| Character | 2016 performer | 2026 performer | Connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moana | Auliʻi Cravalho | Catherine Lagaʻaia | New live-action lead; Cravalho remains an executive producer |
| Maui | Dwayne Johnson | Dwayne Johnson | Same performer in voice and physical formats |
| Gramma Tala | Rachel House | Rena Owen | Recast for live action |
| Chief Tui | Temuera Morrison, with Christopher Jackson singing | John Tui | New live-action performer |
| Sina | Nicole Scherzinger | Frankie Adams | Recast for live action |
| Tamatoa | Jemaine Clement | Jemaine Clement | Same voice performer |
Johnson and Clement are the two clearly confirmed performers returning to the same characters. Cravalho’s connection is different: she moves from lead voice actor to executive producer and musical contributor.
A deeper performance and story comparison is available in differences between Moana 2026 and the animated original.
Which Moana 2026 Cast Members Sing?
The film’s main acting and singing credits overlap, but they should not be assumed to match on every track without checking the final soundtrack information.
Disney confirms that Catherine Lagaʻaia, Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho perform “Along the Way,” a new Lin-Manuel Miranda song created for the live-action film. The official soundtrack also includes songs by Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi and Mark Mancina.
Johnson’s return as Maui carries an established musical expectation, while Lagaʻaia takes on Moana’s new vocal performances. Clement returns as the voice of Tamatoa, though the final track credits should remain the authority for any individual song attribution.
The complete performer and track breakdown belongs in the Moana 2026 songs and soundtrack guide.
Director and Key Creative Team
Thomas Kail directs the live-action film. Disney’s official credits list Dwayne Johnson, Beau Flynn, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and Lin-Manuel Miranda as producers, with Kail, Scott Sheldon, Charles Newirth and Auliʻi Cravalho serving as executive producers.
Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller were brought onto the project as writers. Bush previously wrote the 2016 film, while Miller was also involved in Moana 2.
These are the principal creative names relevant to a cast guide. A complete list of editors, designers, visual-effects artists, camera teams, stunt performers and other departments belongs in the official credits rather than the main article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays Moana in the 2026 movie?
Catherine Lagaʻaia leads the live-action film as Moana. The role is her feature-film debut after Disney selected her through an international casting search.
Does Dwayne Johnson play Maui in live action?
Johnson returns as Maui after voicing the character in the 2016 animation and Moana 2. In the 2026 film, he performs the role physically and also holds a producer credit.
Is Auliʻi Cravalho in Moana 2026?
Her confirmed involvement is behind the scenes and in the music. Cravalho serves as an executive producer and performs “Along the Way,” while Catherine Lagaʻaia plays Moana on screen.
Who plays Moana’s parents?
John Tui portrays Chief Tui, Moana’s father, and Frankie Adams plays Sina, her mother. Both were announced as part of the principal live-action cast in June 2024.
Who plays Gramma Tala?
Rena Owen portrays Gramma Tala, Moana’s grandmother and one of her closest guides. Rachel House voiced the character in the animated film.
Does Jemaine Clement return as Tamatoa?
Clement returns as the voice of Tamatoa. Disney confirmed that he reprises the same giant-crab character he voiced in the 2016 animation.
Is the 2026 cast the same as Moana 2?
The live-action human roles use a new cast, with Catherine Lagaʻaia replacing the animated voice performance as the on-screen Moana. Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, while Moana 2 remains part of the animated timeline.
The wider franchise sequence is covered in Moana movies in order.
Where can I watch Moana 2026?
The dedicated title hub contains the movie and player information currently displayed by the site. Readers browsing 123movies or the Free Movies Online section should use the main title page rather than this cast guide.
Open the Moana 2026 Watch Online Free page on 0123movies for the available title-page details.