According to ABC30 Fresno, Catherine Laga'aia has opened up about the profound responsibility she feels stepping into the role of Moana for Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation — and the weight of representing a new generation of fans who grew up loving the original animated film.
The Ensemble Is Wide Open
With Laga'aia locked in as the heart of the film, the real fancasting conversation is just getting started. Moana's story lives and dies by its ensemble — the demigod Maui, the scene-stealing crab Tamatoa, the warm and wise Gramma Tala, and a whole village's worth of characters who need to feel just as grounded and culturally resonant as the lead. Disney hasn't confirmed much of the surrounding cast, which means the floor is open for debate, and myCast fans have already been laying down their picks.
What myCast Fans Are Saying
Across two active fan-cast stories on the platform, the community has been busy staking out their dream ensemble — and some clear favorites are emerging.
The biggest flashpoint, unsurprisingly, is Maui. Over at the Moana fan cast, Cooper Andrews leads the vote count with 3 votes, edging out the more obvious choice of Dwayne Johnson, who picked up 2 votes in a separate Moana story. Johnson, of course, voiced Maui in the original animated film, so the question of whether Disney will bring him back for the live-action version — or recast entirely — is genuinely one of the most debated decisions the studio has to make. Fans seem split on whether continuity or fresh energy is the right call.
Elsewhere in the ensemble, Maia Kealoha is the top vote-getter across both stories with 4 votes for Toddler Moana — a fun, specific pick that shows just how deep fans are thinking about this cast. Nicole Scherzinger has picked up votes for Sina (Moana's mother) across both stories, suggesting she's become something of a consensus choice in the fancasting community. Antonio Te Maioha earned 2 votes for Chief Tui, and there's an inspired suggestion of reprising the spirit of Tamatoa — which, honestly, would be a very easy yes. also got a nod for Hei Hei the Rooster, continuing his beloved tradition of voicing Disney animals.