During the Moana press event I attended last week, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing “Maui” himself, Dwayne Johnson. No one is ever quite prepared for these types of interviews, 25 women in a room all anxiously awaiting a huge superstar, the excitement is palpable, to say the least. That goes for the celebrity as well, but they are always pleasantly surprised at how we welcome them with a round of applause into the room. I imagine they don’t get that sort of welcome often.
When he arrived, he was genuinely surprised and was beaming from ear to ear. You could tell he was happy to be there and happy to discuss Moana.
Why was it important for you to do this role?
It was important for me to do the role because it was a great opportunity to showcase our Polynesian culture to the world. It was also an opportunity to work with Disney in a classic animated capacity with the element of music. I’ve done two Disney movies in the past, live action movies, but this is a different machine.
What was the biggest challenge?
It’s just a different muscle to exercise. I had a lot of help around me which was nice, and what I mean by the help is finding ways to really add real zest and life to words… That, I’d say, that was the biggest challenge – making sure that the words that I spoke had life and the correct energy and the correct temperament and tone and intonation where it had to go to different places and pitch and things like that. It was a real fascinating experience for me.
You’re so much more versatile than people give you credit for. Talk about the rapping you did in this role.
Yes. Let me talk a little bit about that. It was a great opportunity to push myself, and to sing. The bar’s set very high in a Disney movie when there’s the element of music but I felt confident going in. I was also surrounded with really amazing masterful musical people, like Lin-Manuel (Miranda), Opetaia (Foa’i), and Mark Mancina. So I was excited to sing a song, and to Lin’s credit, he did a lot of research, and he found a comfortable range that I could sing in, and he also pushed me a little bit.
What do you want people to take away from the film?
I think there is a few messages that people can take away from the movie. The wonderful thing about entertainment, and movies, and books that we read, we all have different interpretations of it. I think the cultural aspect is something that is very cool. I love that. And I also think that they did a tremendous job of representing our culture in a way that makes us proud. Although, at first there was a little bit of hesitance from all of us, but it was quickly quelled when I sat with John Lasseter and our filmmakers and they had took me through their process. So by the time the script got to me, they’d already done years of research in going to all the different islands, and speaking with the high chiefs, and all the villages trying to understand the cultures, which comes out in the authenticity.
The takeaway would be showcasing our culture. There’s a wonderful quality of our culture, and a fierceness to our culture too, as well, and a tremendous pride. Also, I think it speaks to all cultures, and ages, and religions, and everything else that our world has. We have this little voice inside of us, and to always make sure that we got to follow that voice, and listen to the voice – a gut intuition. To have that kind of faith, not necessarily religious faith, but faith that there is more. And you can be more. It’s kind of relevant today, right?
Do you have any time management tips?
Oh boy. Yeah, what a great question. It’s a constant management of trying to figure out the balance. Lauren (girlfriend) and I are consistently checking in with ourselves on where can we improve, what kind of support do we need and how can we can we improve our time. What can we do to find the balance.
I think for us, it’s just been a consistent management of time check-in. Are we checking our ego at the door and asking for help where we need it and you know, ‘cause we find that there’s a lot of people around in our families and friends, our circle, who are willing to say, “I got you! You know, what do you need? What can I help you with?
So besides the eyebrows, what else do you see in Maui that’s you?
There was a good amount that was infused in Maui. I think that there’s a part of Maui that I can appreciate because it’s my DNA; I share that with him as— there’s a fun side to Maui, and a need to keep things a little bit on the lighter side. And some bravado, a lot of bravado, because you can mask a lot with bravado.
Did they just animate you, or did you have to put on the costume for them to get the facial expressions and body movements?
It’s a really cool process for those of you who don’t know. There are multiple cameras in the room and as you’re sitting in the studio and going through the lines your facial expressions will then inform the animators on the facial expressions of Maui. So, if I say, ‘You can’t do that!’ my eyebrows go up, then that will inform the animators. There’s all these really amazing, unique little things that take place that they capture that forms the animation.
As a father, do you look at the roles you accept in a certain way?
Yes. I think that there’s a responsibility there. I have an eleven-month-old baby named Jasmine, and a fifteen-year-old daughter who’s Samoan, and they’re both here and they’re going to go to the red carpet. I think with every role there’s that added responsibility and to think is it appropriate for her or for them to watch, but more so, are there qualities there that we look for that are important and is the takeaway there. That’s important – the messaging is important, even within the context of something more on the comedic side, those questions always still come up, and I always make sure that those boxes are checked.
What’s interesting is, when I had my first daughter, I was probably twenty-nine or thirty, you know, and like a lot of us, especially guys, it takes us a very long time to (figure out) ‘Oh, this is who I am. This is what I’m comfortable being.’ So even though I was checking boxes at that time, as you get a little older in life, those boxes are still there, and the wonderful part is now there’s a lot of new other boxes that are there too.
What are you hoping children will take away from this film?
To have fun, number one, and enjoy it! I’ve seen the movie with and audience, and unbeknownst to them that I was there, and it was really cool and special when all the kids were leaving, and there was just this energetic thing that happened in the theater where they kind of leave floating. I think when you accomplish that, it’s just such a cool thing, ‘cause it stays with us for life. So to create magic like that for our kids, and adults, is awesome.
I think number one is having the confidence in yourself, and (believe) you are good enough. There’s a saying that we have in Polynesian culture, it’s like, “Don’t go beyond the reef.” And we showcase that in the movie. Well, you can go beyond the reef, and listen to the little voice inside of you. Life is so noisy, but you always want to revert back to the little voice that you have inside of you, saying you are good enough and you can do things.
What is your favorite Disney movie?
Favorite Disney movie is Beauty and the Beast.
Wouldn’t he have made the perfect Beast? I think so too. I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. Don’t forget to go this week to see MOANA in theaters on November 23rd.
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Disclosure: I was provided with an all-expense trip to LA by Walt Disney Studios to attend the Red Carpet Premiere of MOANA, as well as visit ABC televisions sets and attend the BFG brunch. All opinions are 100% my own.