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“That’s a suit that took a long time to put on,” Johnson told Extra. “So, I’m so happy you said, ‘You bulked up,’ because when you say, ‘You bulked up,’ that means you couldn’t tell.”
The Rock added, “That is a couple of hours every day of transforming, putting that on. We shot outside and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, ‘Sh*t, we got caught.’ Because we were putting up, like, walls so there was no paparazzi. But they got into boats and started shooting pictures. So, but I’m happy you liked it. I can’t wait. The movie comes out in 2026.”
[RELATED: Moana 2 Ending Explained (& Is She a Demigod?)]
Dwayne Johnson compares playing Maui in live-action compared to animation
Voicing an animated character is one thing, but taking that role and bringing it to life in live-action is another matter. Dwayne Johnson is attempting this balancing act as Maui in Moana 2 and in the live-action Moana. Johnson spoke about how “eye-opening” the process became for him.
“I have a handle on who Maui is: I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration. I can access things. I got it,” he said. “The moment I stepped on set… as live-action Maui, I realized right away, ‘Oh, wow, this is different,’ in terms of this is real flesh-and-blood and skin-and-bones. It becomes real all of the sudden. It was almost like getting in my grandfather’s skin and what that was like.”
Playing Maui also allowed Johnson to connect to his family roots. “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength. I wear this culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reunite with Maui, inspired by the mana and spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me.”
Fans can look forward to the live-action Moana when it arrives in theaters on July 10, 2026. As for the animated Moana 2, it is now playing.
