After Disney shared some artful looks at the upcoming animated adventure Moana at this past weekend's Comic-Con, and now we're privy to new looks at the film's supporting cast. We previously knew that newcomer Auli‘i Cravalho will be voicing the title character alongside Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui, but now we have a fantastic look at the new characters they'll meet on their journey. Plus, we know who'll be voicing these colorful characters who are sure to delight audiences when the film opens November 23rd in the States and Canada before its international rollout.
Joining the cast of Ron Clements and John Musker's story of "the life-changing journey of a tenacious 16-year-old who teams up with the mighty demigod Maui to fulfill an ancient quest" will be Jemaine Clement, Alan Tudyk, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, and Temuera Morrison.
Check out new Moana character images and descriptions accompanied by their voice actor pairings below:
Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) provides the voice of TAMATOA, a self-absorbed, 50-foot crab who lives in Lalotai, the realm of monsters. The conceited crustacean wants to be more than a “bottom feeder” and overcompensates for this perceived shortcoming by covering himself in all things shiny.
Rachel House (Whale Rider, Hunt for the Wilderpeople) lends her voice to GRAMMA TALA, Moana’s confidante and best friend, who shares her granddaughter’s special connection to the ocean. Although her son Tui, the chief of Motunui, is a no-nonsense leader, Gramma Tala most definitely dances to the beat of her own drum.
Temuera Morrison (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones) voices Moana’s father, CHIEF TUI, the gregarious and well-respected leader of the people of Motunui Island. Chief Tui wants Moana to follow in his footsteps as leader of their people, but fears his daughter’s draw to the ocean and the world that lies beyond their reef.
Nichole Scherzinger (Grammy®-nominated singer) voices Moana’s mother, SINA, who always has her daughter’s back. Playful, sharp and strong-willed, Sina appreciates Moana’s longing to be on the water, but also wants to protect her daughter from the fabled dangers beyond the reef.
Alan Tudyk, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ lucky charm (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6), is behind the voice of HEIHEI. Heihei is one dumb rooster—the village idiot, in fact. When the clueless chicken accidentally stows away on Moana’s canoe, he lands a front-row seat for her epic journey.
The roster of characters also includes the KAKAMORA, an intense team of crazy, coconut-armored pirates who will stop at nothing to get what they want, and PUA, Moana’s loyal pet pig with puppy energy and an innocent puppy brain.
Here's the official synopsis for Moana:
Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auliʻi Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
