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‘Moana’ Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film

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CitrixNews Staff
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‘Moana’ Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film
Jul 11, 2026 11:15am PT ‘Moana’ Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film

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Jazz Tangcay

Artisans Editor

@jazzt See All MOANA, Catherine Laga'aia (center), on set, 2026. ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection

Dwayne Johnson can finally rejoice. At the premiere of Disney’s live-action “Moana,” the star said that, growing up, he didn’t see himself represented in the media. “‘Indiana Jones’ inspired me. When I was 8 years old watching Harrison Ford, I was like, ‘I want to be that guy,’ but that guy didn’t look like me.” And so, as the film hits screens this weekend, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander audiences, Johnson, and the film’s cast and creatives are finally finding much to celebrate.

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