Johnson appeared at the event alongside co-star Catherine Laga’aia, who portrays Moana. He explained that playing Maui over the past decade has been a privilege, but transitioning the story to live-action offered an even greater experience.
Playing Maui in Moana over the course of the past 10 years has been such a real privilege and just made my job awesome. But also I think the turning it into a live-action was an even greater experience, and I'll tell you why, because you realise with these kind of lessons, life lessons and values, and even music and choreography, and song, it's so much richer when it's real human beings doing it in a live-action version. Because it's real flesh and blood, real people looking each other in the eyes, real chemistry, and also on top of all that we had an opportunity to find our real Moana (Laga’aia).
During their visit to the hospital, Johnson and Laga’aia met 10-year-old patient Bella. Bella had been admitted to the hospital at the age of four with a brain tumor and subsequently lost her ability to speak. Her mother, Sophie, credits Bella's obsession with the song "Shiny" from the original animated film, and her subsequent singing of it, with helping her regain her speech.
Johnson commented on the hospital visit: "Today was an awesome day, myself and the star of Moana, Catherine Laga’aia, who plays our Moana, we were able to visit the Great Ormond Street Hospital, and this charity moment was really incredible."
The live-action Moana, which is the third film in the franchise and the first live-action entry is scheduled for release in the UK on July 10. It follows the animated films Moana (2016) and Moana 2 (2024).
Featured names
- Dwayne Johnson
- Actor Dwayne
- Great Ormond
- Street Hospital
- Catherine Laga
- Press Association
- Playing Maui
- Armed Forces
- Singer Duffy
- Hugh Jackman
- Ryan Reynolds
