Moana fans have been beyond excited about the announcement of Moana 2 (2024) alongside a live-action remake of the first film. However, they still have questions regarding whether the lead actress will reprise her iconic role.

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Almost all of Disney news has recently focused on Moana (2016). Originally directed by John Musker and Ron Clements and written by Jared Bush, fans have been ecstatic over the announcement of an animated sequel coming out at the end of this year and a live-action remake down the line.
Now, everyone wants to see what will happen when Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) return to the big screen, and if Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement), Heihei (Alan Tudyk), Tui (Temuera Morrison), and Sina (Nicole Scherzinger) will come back.

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Unfortunately, the heart behind the animated classic, star Auli’i Cravalho, won’t return for the live-action movie, causing fans to question if she’ll be back for Moana 2. Since the announcement, the Mean Girls (2024) actress has taken to social media to give an answer herself.
‘Moana’ Actress Apologizes To Friends Over Hiding the Truth

After Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in the Walt Disney Company’s first-quarter earnings call that Moana 2 would be released later this year, many were surprised that Moana herself hadn’t told the news. Auli’i Cravalho soon revealed that no one knew about the film, including her closest friends, with a video on TikTok, which had a caption that read:
“When my friends find out Moana 2 is releasing this year from a Disney animation post and not me…”
She further apologized in the clip’s description, saying, “Hehe, sorry.”
@auliicravalhoofficial hehe sorry @laurena 🫣 #Moana2 🌊🌊
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While Cravalho never directly says that she is coming back as the Disney Princess, it is safe to assume that she is because of how public she has been over the fan reaction. Needless to say, fans are excited about her return, as can be seen in the abundance of comments exclaiming, “MOTHER IS BACCCCCCK!”
That said, she still won’t return for the live-action film. However, it was her choice, saying that she wanted to see another younger actress take on the role so that more people of Pacific heritage could be seen on the big screen.
Do you think Auli’i Cravalho should play Moana in the live-action version? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!