A little over a year from now we’ll all be crowding theaters to enjoy Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana.” But first they had to actually producer the film. The film makers experienced a bit of a challenge in finding the perfect voice for the title character. Eventually they found Auli’l Cravalho for the role.
This week Cravalho was introduced to the press and fans on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. She’s amazingly well spoken for a 14-year-old and has a fantastic voice and personality. We learn that she’s already doing recording sessions and that she’ll be singing in the movie. Plus we learn how to pronounce her name. I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more of it in the future.
Plot Synopsis:
Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one today knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds. “Moana” is directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”), and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”).
“Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.