Girl power! Disney’s latest animated princess film, Moana, now has a voice for its spunky heroine — 14-year-old native Hawaiian Auli’i Cravalho.
After auditioning hundreds of voiceover hopefuls, the studios decided to go with Cravalho, who hails from Mililani, Oahu, because she had a “certain fearlessness in her auditions and callbacks,” according to director John Musker.
“She has a playful, mischievous wit,” Musker said in a press release. “She can project vulnerability, she doesn’t seem intimidated at all by the challenges ahead, and her Polynesian background has helped shape her connection to family, hard work, and music. These are all qualities she shares with Moana.”
Moana will also feature Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the voice of demigod Maui, who helps Moana set out on an adventure to “prove herself a master wayfinder,” the release states.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7, Johnson shared a photo of Cravalho and their animated counterparts, offering the Disney newcomer a hearty congratulations.
“What’s amazing about this story is that she didn’t think she was good enough so she never auditioned,” the 43-year-old wrestler captioned the image. “Fortunately, one of our Oahu casting agents discovered her singing at a charity competition and the rest is history. An awesome lesson to all young kids out there… work hard, have confidence in yourselves and never think you’re not good enough because you never know what the future holds.”
Moana is set to hit theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.
