Dwayne Johnson’s youngest daughter Tiana previously refused to believe that her father was Maui in Disney’s hit animated feature (and one of her favorite movies)Moana. But after Johnson’s recent Instagram post that shows her and her sister Jasmine recording lines alongside him for its upcoming sequelMoana 2, it’s now impossible for her to deny.
In addition to Tiana, 6, and Jasmine, 8, whom he had with his singer/producer wife Lauren Hashian, Johnson also shares another daughter, Simone, 23, with his ex-wife Dany Garcia. Simone, more widely known under her ring-name Ava Raine, has followed in her father’s footsteps as a professional wrestler. Now, his two youngest have similarly started getting involved in his film career with cameos in the highly-anticipated Disney sequelMoana 2.Here’s everything we know about the characters they’re playing and how they fit intoMoana’sestablished magical world of Oceania.
‘Moana 2’ Promises More of What We Loved About the Original
According toThe Hollywood Reporter, Moana 2’s directorial team, David Derrick Jr. and Jason Hand, revealed some details about the sequel’s story through exclusive first-looks during the Annecy Animation Festival. Staying true to its original themes, the plot will dive deeper into Moana’s ambitious exploration and search for connection. It will begin three years after the first movie.
During that time, she traversed the seas, mapped out the world before her, and tried locating new people (the latter without result). After being called to embark on an expedition by her ancestors to find a hidden island,Moana sets out with new and old friends to break a curse separating the people of Oceania. Although there is still a lot we don’t know aboutMoana 2before its November release, we can expect to see a fresh journey that explores, not just uncharted waters, but their ability to connect us — physically and emotionally.
Dwayne Johnson’s Daughters Are Moana-Be’s
Some of the new cast members that audiences can also expect on-screen are the"Moana-Be’s," voiced by Dwayne Johnson’s daughters Tiana and Jasmine. The characters are young Montunui residents who act as Moana’s little fan club — dressing like her and similarly teasing the demigod Maui, played by their father. Although their parts are small, in behind-the-scenes footage shared onJohnson’s Instagram page(shown below), we can see the two girls having the most fun recording their voiceovers for the film.
Johnson gushed in the caption about the “family affair,” saying that “everyone had a blast” and he was deeply grateful for the film. Through energetic takes, jokes about the light weight of Maui’s legendary hook, and quality time with their dad, working together to bring their cameo roles to life will definitely makeMoana 2a special Johnson-family memory.
Along with the “Moana-Be’s” and Johnson’s return as Maui, viewers will see a lot oforiginal characters reprise their roles, including its break-out heroine Auli’i Cravalho as Moana. We’ll also see Moana’s adorable pet pig Pua, the endearingly brainless rooster Heihei, the villainous Kakamora coconut pirates, and Moana’s family. So, don’t be worried about the story sailing away from its roots.
The sequel will include the characters audiences already know and love, as well as expand on where they are now. As their new adventure begins, the most significant additions to the cast will be Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda as Moana’s 3.5-year-old little sister Simea, and the film’s secondary antagonist Matangi, voiced by Awhimai Fraser, who wants to prevent Moana from reuniting the people of Oceania. Both will be important motivators for Moana’s latest pursuit, but not much is known yet about her main opponent Nalo, a vicious god of storms.
Moana Voice Actor Praises the Sequel: ‘We Don’t Need a Prince to Save Us’
Moana 2 star Auli’i Cravalho touched on how the sequel differs from the original Disney outing.
A Live Action Moana Sneak Peek
In Johnson’s prideful Instagram reel with his daughters, a life-size Maui fishhook replica is hard to ignore, especially when comparing its magnitude against the two girls.The reveal got fans wondering if the hook is the same prop used for the live-actionMoanamovie that is currently in production and set for a 2026 release. Arecent Instagram postfrom Disney Studios co-chief Alan Bergman suggests the two hooks are one and the same. Plus, with Dwayne Johnson officially signed on asMaui in the live-action adaptation, he definitely could’ve brought the hook into the recording studio to have some family fun with it.
The prop matches its animated twin perfectly, indicating a detailed recreation of the original film. Disney is known forproducing live-action remakesof their most beloved animations, like101 DalmatiansandThe Lion King.However, the original movies are usually decades old before their more recent adaptations. The rush to recreateMoanaless than 10 years after its initial release surprised a lot of fans. It’s no secret that movie studios have been investing heavily in remakes and sequels, galore. Thus, some fans think a too-soonMoanalive-action movie is a pointless money-grab from a studio lacking new ideas, or even a disrespectful move against animation which the company was popularized by.
ConsideringMoana 2hasn’t even hit theaters yet, it is odd that aremake is in the works so soon. Still, withsome of its original voice actorsreprising their roles in the flesh, the live-actionMoanawill be an exciting special edition to the franchise unlike anything Disney has made before. Until then, audiences can enjoy the new story and the new characters inMoana 2,which hits theaters Nov. 25.
