Dwayne Johnson, 50, enthusiastically addressed the 2023 Disney Annual Meeting of Shareholders Webcast on Monday to announce a project close to his heart.
After the rally, he tweeted, “Humbled to say we’re bringing #MOANA’s wonderful story to the big screen!
“#MAUI has changed my life (missing you grandpa) and I’m honored to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which is at the core of who we are as Polynesian people.”
The Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star – whose eldest daughter made her WWE debut this weekend – tweeted photos of him and his daughters Jasmine, seven, and Tiana, four.
The Black Adam star wore jeans and a white short-sleeved shirt in his pre-recorded post from the beaches of Maui, while his young daughters, whom he shares with wife Lauren Hashian, wore sundresses reminiscent of Moana’s.
Maui: Dwayne Johnson, 50, enthusiastically addressed the 2023 Disney Annual Meeting of Shareholders Webcast on Monday to announce a project close to his heart
Moana: After the meeting, he tweeted, “Humbled to say we are bringing #MOANA’s wonderful story to the big screen”
Johnson also has another daughter, Simone Johnson, 21, who he shares with ex-wife Dany Garcia.
The Fast and Furious actor shared more about the upcoming movie in a pre-recorded message with his daughters, including the inspiration he gets from his late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia.
Johnson spoke more during the pre-recorded segment with his daughters, saying via Variety:
“We are so excited and happy to announce that a live action reimagining of Moana is in the works. Moana, Grandma Tala, the music, the dance, Te Fiti, Pua the pig, the village, the beautiful powerful ocean and one more… what are those boys? Oh, best regards…Heihei the chicken! Just kidding. Heihei will be in it, but of course Maui will be in it too.
Many of you may not know the brilliant team at Disney Animation, my partners, we found so much inspiration for Maui in the mana and the presence of my late grandfather, the legendary High Chief Peter Maivia.
“He would walk into the room — the energy, the tattoos, the hair, the body. [sings with daughters] “If you play a demigod” Thank you. Sorry, I’m getting caught up in the moment.
“So as you can see — perfect timing as the sun rises — how deep the story is to me, because when I bring Maui to life, I do it in a way in my grandfather’s mind. So it is still very early in the process. There is still so much work to be done.
“But until then, there is one more thing I need to start this journey off right. Do girls want to get that special thing that daddy needs? [Bring out his staff] Wow, you are daddy’s daughters. You are so strong. Thank you very much guys.’
Inspiration: The Fast and Furious actor shared more about the upcoming movie in a pre-recorded message with his daughters, including the inspiration he gets from his late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia
Daughters: Johnson’s young daughters Jasmine, seven, and Tiana, four, joined him on the beach for the announcement
He concluded: ‘We are going into the ocean. Yes. Oh, look at the love I got. Is Daddy Maui? No! Do you want ice cream? Yes! So Dad is Maui.”
Johnson’s eldest daughter followed in her father’s footsteps as a professional wrestler working under the name Ava Raine.
On Saturday, she became the first fourth-generation wrestler in WWE history with her debut on Saturday’s NXT Stand and Deliver.
The 21-year-old, daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, took her bow in the ring as part of an eight-person tag-team match between Chase University and the stable she’s a part of, The Schism.
Following in the footsteps: Johnson’s oldest daughter, Simone, 21, made her WWE debut this weekend.
The game lasted just over 11 minutes and Raine had a few trips into the action, but her squad suffered a loss on its first appearance with Chase University taking the win.
Raine’s lineage in the business goes back to The Rock, her grandfather Rocky Johnson and her great grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia.
Raine joined WWE in February 2020, but her progression to TV has been hampered by a serious knee injury.
Still, Shawn Michaels told SportsMail that the company has high hopes for Raine and that she is progressing well at their training base in Orlando, Florida.