Current:Home > InvestJohnathan Walker:Moana 2 Star Dwayne Johnson Shares the Empowering Message Film Sends to Young Girls -Capitatum
Johnathan Walker:Moana 2 Star Dwayne Johnson Shares the Empowering Message Film Sends to Young Girls
NovaQuant View
Date:2025-04-06 04:37:40
Dwayne Johnson is excited to see how far Moana 2 can go.
And the Black Adam star knows the upcoming sequel to the 2016 animated Disney film will go far,Johnathan Walker especially because it speaks so directly to young women and girls.
"I think that the main thing about Moana is this idea of female empowerment," Dwayne told E! News at the New York City premiere of his movie Red One Nov. 11, "and this idea that we always say, ‘What's it like being on the reef and looking beyond the reef?'"
And the former WWE wrestler believes the message is universal, "even if you're not part of Polynesian culture."
"It's this idea that what people like to do—especially to young girls—is kind of constrain them," he continued, "and pretzel them into, ‘You can only be so much.' But in Moana 2, you can actually be anything you want." (For more from Dwayne, tune into E! News tonight, Nov. 12, at 11 p.m.)
Plus the chance to voice the character of Maui again was one the 52-year-old couldn't pass up. After all, he loves how Maui "does his best to empower Moana to look beyond the reef."
He added of the film's message, "Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it."
Indeed, Dwayne—who is dad to daughters Jasmine, 8, and Tiana, 6, with wife Lauren Hashian, daughter Simone, 23, with ex Dany Garcia—has already gotten a chance to see Moana 2, which hits theaters Nov. 27, so he knows the message shines through and is "just so happy with" how the film turned out.
He previously teased just how hard at work the cast and crew worked on the sequel, telling E! News, "We went for it." As for their mentality, he noted how when it comes to making a sequel to a film as "beloved" as the first one, the only option was to double down on what the new movie could be and "really go for it."
The Rock has also been working on his singing skills, not just for Moana 2, but also for the live-action version of the Moana, where he'll play Maui once more.
Sometimes he even gets a chance to practice in front of his fans, noting the "number one" request he often receives from them is to sing a few bars from Maui's number "You're Welcome."
"I'm going to sing in keys that don't exist," he joked, "but I think we got a shot."
—Reporting by Emily Curl
Watch E! News weeknights Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m., only on E!.veryGood! (34634)
Related
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- What to know about Caleb Love, the North Carolina transfer who is now leading Arizona
- Rewilding Japan With Clearings in the Forest and Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Biden faces Irish backlash over Israel-Hamas war ahead of St. Patrick's Day event with Ireland's leader
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- What to know about Caleb Love, the North Carolina transfer who is now leading Arizona
- Mega Millions winning numbers for March 15 drawing: Did anyone win $815 million lottery jackpot?
- Authorities says a suspect has been detained in New Mexico state police officer’s killing
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- 18-year-old soldier from West Virginia identified after he went missing during Korean War
Ranking
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- In Vermont, ‘Town Meeting’ is democracy embodied. What can the rest of the country learn from it?
- Luck of Irish not needed to save some green on St. Patrick's Day food and drink deals
- Authorities had cause to take Maine gunman into custody before mass shooting, commission finds
- Big Lots store closures could exceed 300 nationwide, discount chain reveals in filing
- See the heaviest blueberry ever recorded. It's nearly 70 times larger than average.
- 8-year-old Kentucky boy dies after eating strawberries at school fundraiser: Reports
- Lamar Odom Reacts to Khloe Kardashian’s Message Honoring Brother Rob Kardashian
Recommendation
A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
To Stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a Young Activist Spends 36 Hours Inside it
March Madness men's teams most likely to end Final Four droughts, ranked by heartbreak
It’s March Madness and more people than ever can legally bet on basketball games
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
Anne Hathaway wants coming-of-age stories for older women: 'I keep blooming'
Greg Gumbel, longtime March Madness studio host, to miss men's NCAA Tournament
Cherry blossom super fan never misses peak bloom in Washington, DC