Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia Make a Splash at the Star-Studded ‘Moana’ World Premiere

Disney has been building toward this moment for months, teasing the live-action version of ‘Moana‘ through trailers, cultural showcases, and a whirlwind international promo tour. With the film finally about to reach theaters, the studio pulled out all the stops for one last major show of force before opening weekend.

That show of force arrived Tuesday night in the form of a full-blown world premiere at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. It was the kind of event clearly designed to send the cast off in style just days before the movie’s theatrical release.

Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia led the way on the blue carpet, posing together as the faces of Disney’s newest live-action reimagining. Johnson reprises his animated role as the demigod Maui in physical form for the first time, while Laga’aia takes on the title role in what marks her feature film debut.

The two were joined by a packed lineup of familiar faces from the production. John Tui and Frankie Adams, who play Moana’s parents Chief Tui and Sina, walked the carpet alongside Rena Owen, who plays Gramma Tala, and young co-stars Emma Puahi-Shapazian and Amaya Masoli, who portray Moana at younger ages in the film.

Director Thomas Kail, best known for helming the stage production of ‘Hamilton,’ was also on hand, along with songwriter and producer Lin-Manuel Miranda. Original animated Moana voice actress Auli’i Cravalho, who serves as an executive producer on the live action film, rounded out the night by posing alongside Laga’aia in a symbolic passing of the torch moment.

Johnson brought an especially large entourage of his own, with wife Lauren Hashian and their daughters Jasmine and Tiana joining him for the night. His mother Ata, producing partner and ex wife Dany Garcia, and daughter Simone Johnson were also spotted on the carpet, alongside members of Disney’s own leadership team including Disney Entertainment co chairman Alan Bergman.

Beyond the photo ops, Johnson also took a moment to poke fun at himself and the internet’s reaction to his new look in the role. Speaking with Variety’s Marc Malkin on the carpet, Johnson revealed that finding the right hairpiece for Maui was more complicated than fans might expect.

“I went through 12 wigs,” Johnson told Malkin, explaining that Maui’s hair carries symbolic weight within the story itself. He noted the character’s flowing locks are meant to represent one of his powers, which meant the production could not simply settle for the first option that came along.

Johnson also addressed the wave of memes that exploded online the moment the first trailer revealed his new hairstyle. Fans were quick to react to seeing the typically bald star sporting long, flowing hair as Maui, and Johnson made clear he was very much in on the joke rather than bothered by it.

The premiere capped off a promotional run that had taken the cast everywhere from Hawaii to London in the weeks leading up to release. Laga’aia has spoken previously about the personal significance of stepping into a role she grew up watching, describing the character as a rite of passage for young girls who saw themselves reflected in Moana’s journey.

With the film set to hit theaters domestically on July 10, all the buzz from the premiere now shifts toward how audiences will actually respond once the movie is playing in theaters everywhere. The starry send-off at the Hollywood Bowl made clear that Disney is treating this release as a major event regardless of how the numbers eventually shake out.

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