Who Plays Moana & What Does She Look Like In Real Life?

"Moana" stands out as one of Disney's most interesting animated films from the last decade. Released at the tail end of 2016, "Moana" emerged as a critical and commercial juggernaut for the animation studio. With a near-perfect 96% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and a worldwide box office haul north of $625 million, "Moana" is simply one of the best animated films of all time. The brainchild of co-directors John Muskers and Ron Clements, "Moana" tackles the vibrant culture and history of ancient Polynesia, focusing on the titular character's oceanic adventures with the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson). 

While Johnson received considerable acclaim for his turn as the now iconic Maui, who is the voice behind Moana, the heart and soul of the Disney production? Moana is played by Native Hawaiian actress Auliʻi Cravalho. The actress was plucked from obscurity after a video of her singing for a local charity came across someone's desk at Disney. Shortly afterward, Cravalho was given the opportunity of a lifetime to voice Disney's latest heroine at the age of 14. The actress previously expressed that she was unsure if her "Moana" audition was legit. 

Upon the film's release, Cravalho was singled out for her star-making performance, with Looper's sister site /Film notably writing that the star expertly plays Moana in a 10/10 review.

After "Moana" debuted in 2016, Auliʻi Cravalho continued to dominate as a rising star. The actress had a starring role in the musical series "Rise" for NBC and lent her talents to the Netflix drama "All Together Now." In 2024, Cravalho received a breakthrough live-action role thanks to the "Mean Girls" musical. As she branched out into different mediums and genres, Cravalho continued to voice Moana, notably returning as the character briefly in "Ralph Breaks the Internet" and the Disney+ special "Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest," which unites several Disney princesses together.

For Cravalho, the character of Moana is near and dear to her heart. "I've grown up on an island all my life—so has she—and we're both deeply connected to our culture," the actress told Harper's Bazaar about her relationship with the Disney character. She continued, "I'm connected to Moana through my age; my 16th birthday was the day before our film was released. Her journey is something I feel as well—that journey to find yourself."

The actress isn't done with "Moana" just yet. While Cravalho won't be appearing as Moana in the Disney live-action remake, she's executive producing the picture. Audiences can also see Cravalho voice the heroine once again in "Moana 2."