A month or so ago, Dwayne Johnson came bearing good news for Moana fans with the announcement of a live-action feature in the works at Disney. But a month, as it turns out, can be a long time for controversies to stew, given The Rock’s current predicament owing to his involvement in a kidnapping lawsuit. Not only does that put his reputation in jeopardy, but sources claim that his Disney projects too are now teetering on the brink of peril.
As if Johnson’s precarious future at the studio wasn’t bad enough, the lead actress from 2016’s Moana just revealed that she won’t be returning for the live-action remake.
It looks like Disney is in a bind.
Auliʻi Cravalho – Moana Star Gives An Upsetting Casting Update
Helmed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the animated musical, Moana, opened up to wonderful reviews from both critics and the audience and even churned incredible numbers at the box office. With Auliʻi Cravalho voicing the titular princess and Dwayne Johnson as Maui, the film ended up becoming a fan-favorite amongst people across the world. So, when Johnson declared that a live-action “reimagining” of the animated venture was underway, fans were thrilled, to say the least.
Much to fans’ dismay, however, Cravalho just disclosed that she won’t be reprising her role as Moana in the upcoming movie. “In this live-action retelling, I will not be reprising the role,” she announced on her Instagram. “I believe it is absolutely vital [that] the cast accurately represents the characters and stories we want to tell.”
But you know what they say, every cloud has a silver lining. So, while the 22-year-old actress won’t be portraying the character on-screen, she will, however, act as an executive producer on the project. Cravalho said,
“As an executive producer of the film, I cannot wait to help find the next actress to portray Moana’s courageous spirit, undeniable wit, and emotional strength.”
The question of the hour that now remains is whether Johnson will still be on board with the way things are at present, or if fans are in for more disheartening news concerning casting.
Dwayne Johnson Gets Embroiled in A $3 Billion Lawsuit
A former WWE employee, Trenesha Biggers, aka, Rhaka Khan, filed a lawsuit against the Black Adam actor amongst other wrestling stars back in October 2022, accusing them of “conspiring to kidnap” her and her children. While things had been dormant for a brief period, a full-fledged investigation regarding the scandal was launched in February this year.
Johnson, 51, who was a professional wrestler for almost a decade prior to his Hollywood career, is currently being sued for $3 billion by the 41-year-old TNA star. Furthermore, the latter inculpated him for running a criminal enterprise.
As per reports, the lawsuit has already started to bring in a tempest of problems for Johnson’s otherwise sterling reputation and flourishing acting career, with Disney allegedly planning on scrapping the actor from numerous projects. While the veracity of these rumors remains obscure at best, the future of Moana‘s live-action remake might just have to bear the repercussions in light of the controversy that The Rock has gotten enmeshed in.
A release date has yet to be attached to the live-action “reimagining” of Moana.
Source: Auliʻi Cravalho | Instagram
