While certainly one of the highlights of my time in Los Angeles back in August was attending the world premiere of PETE’S DRAGON. We spotted so many familiar faces. Though I have to say, certainly one stood out to us. Dawning a flowing bright yellow dress and a gorgeous flower that provided the right pop of pink, pinned up her hair, Auli’i Cravalho made her red carpet debut that night. While some may not be familiar with this new on the scene bubbly 15 year old, us Disney bloggers knew exactly who she was… the voice Moana in Walt Disney Animation’s upcoming adventure, MOANA!
MOANA tells the tale of a spirited and compassionate Pacific Island teenager, voiced by Auli’i, who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her adventure, Moana meets the once-mighty, but charismatic and funny demigod Maui (played by Dawyne The Rock Johnson). If you are a regular reader of this little blog, you’ll know that we are very excited for the film! Last month I posted about a session I attended at Walt Disney Studios learning all about how the producers and animators came about creating Moana’s story, and bringing the character to life!
Today though, I’m sharing with you our interview with Auli’i herself! Even though she’s still a teenager, I was impressed with her poise and maturity, as well as her friendly down to earth nature.
Of course we first had to mention how we spotted her on the red carpet the night before! We just had to ask how she thinks it’s going to be in November when she attends the premiere for her first film.
Auli’i: I’ve heard it’s going to be with music and dancers! So it was really interesting to see how it all worked (at PETE’S DRAGON) and how people know my name. They were saying it correctly too! Because it’s an interesting. Auli’i. They had a hard time, but they were all saying it in synch to like get me to turn to them. It was good.
We saw a little bit of footage where Disney told you about the part and how you called your mom. Who was the next person that you wanted to tell?
At this point, Puanani Cravalho, Auli’i’s mother, chimed in.
Puanani: No you couldn’t. We were sworn to secrecy for a little over three months. So she’d come home at night and we’d be hugging, and she’s like “Mommy, I’m Moana!” I’m like “Yeah, you sure are sweetie. You know, just be kind.” There was no one else to tell… Oh, I”m going to cry. But it’s so true.
Auli’i: Then D23 came out and Dwayne (Johnson) was there with his camera. I wanted to shout!
For reference… check out the clip we were referring to in the interview!
Did you work alone in a booth? Or did you actually see anyone else ever?
Auli’i: Not until…
Puanani: Just day before yesterday.
Auli’i: … was when I met Dwayne. A few weeks ago, I met Rachel House who plays Gramma Tala and Temuera Morrison who played my dad. It was interesting because I’ve gotten so used to voices, but to see like their faces with it and to kind of match the personality. For instance, the person who plays Gramma Tala, Rachel House, that isn’t her actual voice. She totally commits to the character but otherwise she’s just a really sweet kind woman who doesn’t sound like Gramma Tala.
Auli’i: But she just still embodies the character which was interesting. And Temuera Morrison, who has an amazing accent. It was interesting to meet him because he’s an actual father. So I got to meet his daughter as well. It was really nice to see just him as a dad. And I got to envision him more so as a dad
Tell us about meeting The Rock!
Puanani: I did some Rock climbing for all of us. I’m just saying you know, I took one for the team! Sweat and everything…
At this point the whole room was laughing at Puanani’s “rock climbing” comment, while Auli’i couldn’t help but blush! Maybe #RockClimbing should be our new hashtag for all things Maui and Moana related??? Thanks Puanani for the idea!!
Auli’i: So he was very nice and very professional. It was interesting because, I mean, this whole process of recording without meeting someone was something that I was not prepared to do. Like I assumed that we would be in the same booth.
So he is very focused, which is interesting because he has so many different jobs just throughout the day. While we were on the content shoot, he was of course like talking to other people, and trying to work out flights and all that stuff. So what kind of just brought to mind I suppose was just how dedicated he can be to one thing and then convert his attention to another. And he loves the character Maui so much!
He’s Polynesian just like I am. So to see that he’s so committed to the character just made it almost overwhelming. Just the amount of like emotion that I know I put into… I know that he puts the same amount.
How do you feel about family and having your culture embodied into a Disney princess?
Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com
So quickly I must note, I have to agree! From the footage I’ve seen, Moana is a strong and determined teen! I have a feeling she’s going to be quite an inspiration for young girls. I have to say, I even felt inspired by Moana’s “bad butt” attitude while conquering my first Spartan Race since loosing my eyesight in my right eye. I even used my Moana water bottle! Thanks Disney!
Auli’i: And to have such a beautiful young teen who shows that it’s okay to go on a journey to find yourself, it’s wonderful, because that message is universal to everyone. And also because way finding isn’t just something they made up for animation purposes. It was truly almost lost in the Polynesian culture, which is something that not a lot of people know. So the fact that it’s being shined in such a positive light and the fact that there is now a resurgence of navigation and way finding in real day-to- day life, it’s so important.
On that note, what would you say has been your biggest lesson learned about yourself while filming this film?
Auli’i: Family, definitely. When I first got the role, there was no one that I could tell. And so we would literally have those conversations at night and like there was no one else that I kind of felt like I had to tell. It was fine. It’s just been my mom and I for three years or so. I love being able to not have to feel like I have to share everything with the whole world, which is why I’m not very good at the Snap Chat! I need help with my social media. Because I kind of just like having just us, you know.
Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com
With this being your first film, what’s been the most amazing thing and the strangest thing?
Auli’i: This being the first film… having to record a line like ten times in a row and then having that like three or four more times. There’s so many different ways you can say it. You add a lilt to the end of it or you say in a question. And all of that just changes the meaning and the drive behind it.
So to get that one perfect take took forever. But it was worth it. Totally worth it. And then I got to meet the animators, which was something that not many voice actresses or actors get to do. The animators don’t usually get to see them either. They just hear the voice and then just work but I got to animate some of it. Like I did a walk like the Egyptian pose…totally awkward! Totally wrong proportions, her neck was like four heads tall but it was so much fun, because they put in so much work.
They work overtime and they have overtime dinners practically every night of the week. They work on weekends. And the fact that they have families and they spend so much time on such an important film to me… we bonded in a way that I don’t think either of us really expected.
Back to the three months not being able to tell anybody. So how has it been since then? With everyone, extended family, friends?
Auli’i: It’s been really good, everyone is really supportive of it! I think we got like banana bread the first like week or so when everyone found out. Aside from that, it’s been pretty normal. My friends are normal. They are still going to fan girl over you, like on the internet, but like “No, you still can take your own tray, thank you very much.”
Puanani: Keeping it real, you know? I think it’s about raising a well balanced person.
Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com
I was wondering what actually inspired you to audition and if you had any previous experience?
Auli’i: I didn’t initially audition for it. My friends and I actually put together an audition, to be the entertainment for a nonprofit event on the island. We put together like a bunch of a Capella songs and we beat boxed. It was just a really fun experience and we sent it out. We tried our best and we didn’t get in and it was like devastating for a second. But what happened was the casting director for Disney saw that audition because she was going through those auditions as well.
So through like an intricate web, it just kind of arose. When she emailed mom and I to ask if I wanted to audition, it was like fantastic! Yes please! And the rest is kind of history.
Is this something you wanted to do, did you want to go into this kind of business?
Auli’i: I think yeah, always. I would put on fashion shows in the middle of the hallway, because we had a black carpet, which was it didn’t matter if it was red or whatever, but it was my carpet. And I credit my singing voice to like my mom because like she didn’t believe in bankies (pacifiers). So I screamed for…
Puanani: I figured, let her cry it out.
Auli’i: So I developed wonderful lungs. But I think what I always knew was that it’s just a hard industry to get into. So I as of right now I love this so much and I would love to pursue a career in this. But at the same time I started looking into either a law career or I’m really into science, like cellular molecular biology. So I would love to pursue this but at the same time I’m super glad that I kind of thought of the future and what might or may not happen. Because I study no matter what.
Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com
What were your thoughts when you read the script?
Auli’i: The first thoughts… I didn’t like really understand that this was a Polynesian film until like after I read the script. So when I read it, I was like”Okay, that’s not a Hawaiian word. I know that’s not a Hawaiian word. That sounds Samoan.” And I did research on it and sure enough because Hawaii is one of the more newer island chains, they pulled from more of an ancient background, which is great.
Because if they’re making the story line like thousands of years earlier, Hawaii would not have been created. So the fact that they’ve done that research is amazing. When I read the script, I was just I was surprised by, again, just how much research they did.
Because when I heard of like the canoes and stuff like that, when I envisioned it, it was there and if you’ve ever read a script, it’s not just line after line after line. It’s line and then they say said with like more emotion. Or this is when Hei Hei the chicken runs across… They really set up the scene so I was able to envision it. And the format that they use or like the way the ocean is described, like as a character was ingenious.
Because as a Polynesian, we believe that, that everything is connected. So from Malta to Makai, from the ocean to the sea, we respect that. We use everything. Everything. So if we take care of the land or we take care of the ocean, then it’ll take care of us. And the script really held that in there. I remember all I could think of is whoever gets this is going to do it such great justice. They have no choice because it’s an awesome script
We watched the video with the mom- what are your thoughts of your daughter doing this- without crying…
Puanani: I’ll just say this… Auli’i is really great. She’s focused on academics and that’s just very important. That’s something that she’s really very good about. Singing and acting whether or not it’s in church or the back yard or in part of school was something that she did for fun. To kind of take a break off of the honors and the AP classes and some of those things, this is what she did for her that fed the soul. So the fact that this came along and I didn’t raise her in this way.
Photo credit: Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com
Puanani: You know, I didn’t take her to the auditions. We didn’t do all of these kind of things, where some are groomed from a young age. This was just something that she did for fun. If we could fit it into the schedule and if we could go ahead and assure all the important academic classes are taken care of, then absolutely, fit in some of that fun stuff! I think that’s very important. So when this came along, and she had this opportunity, a part of me was, was just afraid, because we’re going into an area that I don’t know.
This opportunity was just so amazing and it truly is. But we are outside of what my knowledge and understanding is.So I’m thrilled and I’m honored. I’m happy for her and what makes me happy is that I’m watching her and like I know my child. I know every movement, the hair, the twist, the brow and everything. What it says to me is that she truly is enjoying this. And that makes it okay. So to be in the hands of Disney… we’re in good hands. So I’m doing my mommy part and I’m staying close with her, because I need to be on this journey with her.
She’s happy and she’s thriving, and we’re in good hands. So this canoe is sailing and we’re sailing!
Do you have a favorite Disney movie?
Auli’i: MULAN is my favorite! I said that on like a panel and the filmmakers were right next to me. They were like “you couldn’t have said something we created?” She’s totally “I’m going to kick-butt.” So she’s awesome and I think what really resonated with me, is that she always wants to honor her family. She totally broke the gender norm of like going to war and doing what she felt was necessary. So that totally resonated with me.
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Check out these clips from the film! The clip “You’re Welcome” is sung by Maui (yes that is The Rock actually singing!!) and was written by Tony Award Winner & Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“You’re Welcome”
“Moana Meets Maui”
Soundtrack Details
Get ready as on November 18, Disney will release the MOANA original motion picture soundtrack! The soundtrack features seven original songs and a full original score, plus two reprises as well as two end-credit versions of songs from the film.
The creative team behind the soundtrack includes Tony®- and Grammy®-winning songwriter/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, who you may know from his Broadway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and multiple Tony-winning “Hamilton.” Also part of the dynamic trio are three-time Grammy®-winning composer Mark Mancina (“Speed,” “Tarzan” and the Oscar®-winning “Training Day”) and Opetaia Foa‘i, the founder and lead singer of Te Vaka, a winner of numerous world music awards.
On the album, you’ll hear Auli’i show off her vocals on Miranda’s “How Far I’ll Go.” The end-credit version of the song is performed by Def Jam recording artist Alessia Cara.
MOANA Trailer
Don’t forget to connect with the film on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Be sure to check out our MOANA coloring sheets and other fun activities!
MOANA sails into theaters on November 23rd 2016!
While I attended an expense paid trip by Disney to Los Angeles, all opinions are 100% my own. MOANA and INNER WORKINGS images were provided by Walt Disney Publications.
That is amazing that Auli’i is only 15 years old and so poised and confident. What a great example for girls everyone (and my own daughter). Keeping her role quiet sounded really difficult for her, but she did it. I can’t wait to see Moana in theatres soon.
That was an incredible experience, more emotional than any other interview I have ever participated in. And wonderful!
My girls circled this on their calendar the first time they saw the previews. I’m sure we’ll be there on that opening Friday.
It is so lovely to learn more about the voice behind the character of Moana! So often voice actresses go un-noticed unless they are already famous. Love that the Moana character is a strong young woman and a great example for the young girls who are watching the movie. I’m excited to see the movie now!
What a fun experience! We have been watching the previews for a while now and we can’t wait for this movie to hit theaters. That will be fun to have something to go see over Thanksgiving break with the whole family.