‘Moana 2’: How the Pacific Islander princess grows, evolves in culture in highly anticipated sequel
We all know the ocean has chosen her, but how far could Moana really go?
From sailing across the forbidden seas and overcoming coconut pirates and a treasure-obsessed crab to restoring the heart of Te Fiti along with the demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) has embraced her role as the new wayfinder of her people, ready to lead on new adventures across the vast oceans.
Three years later, Moana reunites with Maui for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers after receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors. Together, they must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters to break a god’s curse on the hidden island of Motufetu, which once connected the people of the ocean.
“We’ve never really seen her have to lead other people in real time. A lot of what we thought about in this second film was, as you mature, you learn that there are consequences to your actions and the things that you do, the choices you make affect the people around you. We really wanted to put Moana through her paces as a leader and have to see who she would be on the water when she had people with her,” explains Director Dana Ledoux Miller.
While the first film centered on self-discovery and navigating uncharted waters, “Moana 2” emphasizes building bridges — across oceans, generations and cultures — to ensure a brighter and more connected future for the people of the Polynesian island of Motunui.
Moana used to view the ocean as holding all the answers. But as a leader and big sister, she now looks back at home for answers through a new perspective. Unlike before, Moana’s new journey is fully supported by her people, embracing a collective effort reflective of the Polynesian community. She faces a more complex journey due to her deeper connections, including her bond with her younger sister Simea and her sense of responsibility to her people. As she continues to evolve, she faces the bittersweet reality that growth involves loss, such as leaving home and her loved ones.
“The emotional stakes are higher when you understand what you have to lose. I think that’s part of what growing up is,” Miller says. “For all of us as we grow up, whether it’s you go off to college, you leave your family behind in a different way, you understand that you’re leaving something. There is a loss to leaving even when there is so much to gain. And you know, this is about the future of her people. She can’t deny that, and yet she’s still a human. She’s still a person who loves deeply and has to leave something. There’s grief to growing up.”
Behind the scenes, it wasn’t just Moana who experienced growth.
Miller, whose father is Samoan, admitted that she often felt disconnected to her culture as someone who grew up in Long Beach, California, and doesn’t speak the language.
“I’ll admit, when I first was hired to do the live action and then this movie, I felt like I’m not Samoan enough to tell this story,” Miller shares. “And it’s something that, as an adult, I’ve really come to take ownership of and, you know, be openly proud of who I am and where I come from. I’ve gone on this journey to really embrace who I am and realize that who I am is exactly the right person to be here.”
Through years of work on “Moana 2,” Miller found confidence, self-acceptance and a deeper connection with her community, ultimately feeling empowered and proud of her identity. “Moana gave me a lot of courage, and I’ll be forever grateful to her for that,” she says.
Similarly, director David Derrick Jr., who worked as a story artist on the original Academy Award-nominated film, was drawn to the story by his own Samoan ancestry and personal connection to Moana’s quest to understand her heritage.
“Part of my ancestry comes from Samoa and so working on the first film opened my eyes to the greatness of the people of the Pacific, how incredible they were at navigating the indigenous genius that it took to find all these islands,” Derrick tells NextShark. “I was so moved by that and it did fundamentally change me, and I grew because of that. I love that even a middle-aged man can realize at a certain point that we are always choosing who we are. And so that became one of the integral themes of this continuing story.”
The filmmakers and producers assembled a group of cultural experts in anthropology, history, dance and movement, canoes and navigation, linguistics and various cultural practices from the Pacific Islands. The group, the Oceanic Cultural Trust, has both advisors who were part of the first film’s Trust, as well as new members.
Senior manager Kalikolehua Hurley and consultant Lāina Kanoa-Wong also emphasize the focus of growth on “Moana 2” — both personal and cultural. Lāina expressed excitement about expanding Moana’s community, portraying a village that thrives under her leadership as it deepens its understanding of voyaging traditions, while Hurley highlighted Moana’s journey of growth through teamwork, showcasing the importance of Lokahi or unity and learning from others as essential elements of navigating and leading.
“Our cultures never stop evolving, right? It never ever stops,” Hurley points out. “So even today, as a Hawaiian culture practitioner, we’re evolving it. We’re trying to keep some of the tenets and the important elements of traditional knowledge and practices and bring it forth today. And so when you have a film like ‘Moana’ that’s weaving together multiple cultures, but showing the ancient as well as a little bit of modern to tell it today, to me, it shows the evolution of storytelling.”
Hurley highlights “Moana 2” as a prime example of this cultural evolution — it integrates multiple Polynesian cultures, blending ancient traditions with contemporary storytelling techniques like animation, music and media. This adaptation mirrors how storytelling has progressed from oral tales, dances and chants to modern cinematic expressions. But the ultimate goal is still to honor and maintain cultural integrity while ensuring it resonates with and feels relevant to today’s audiences, creating a bridge between the past and present.
“When I think of Moana, I think of growth,” producer Yvett Merino says. “I think of the experience that she had in the first film and then going into the second film, and how much she continues to grow. It’s a constant reminder that we as people continue to grow and evolve.”
“Moana 2” premieres in theaters on Nov. 27. Watch NextShark’s full interview with the filmmakers below:
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