The actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson 52, got emotional when talking about the importance of interpreting Maui in the films of “Moana” a character who was partially inspired by his grandfather, Peter Maivia .
“My grandfather died here, in Hawaii. And he died in 1982. We were here when he died, and I was running around. I didn’t understand the meaning of his death, I was 10 years old”, recalled the actor in an interview with the American TV program Good Morning America.
Maivia was a famous WWE wrestler originally from the Samoan Islands. According to The Rock, she was “exactly like Maui, from his physical shape to his hair and his charisma, he sang and was loved.”
“So every time I play in Maui, I’m in my grandfather’s shoes. And that really moves me,” added the actor.
Shortly after the release of the first “Moana” film, he even shared a post that shows the cartoon character next to a photo of his grandfather.
Dwayne Johnson provides the original voice of Maui in the two animated films in the “Moana” franchise and will also bring the character to life in the live-action film of the story, scheduled to premiere in 2026.
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This content was originally published in “Moana”: The Rock says Maui was inspired by his grandfather; see the similarity on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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