Dwayne Johnson Explains Why He's Back as Maui: Wigs to Weight Loss Prosthetic English: Dwayne Johnson Explains Why He's Back as Maui: Wigs to Weight Loss Prosthetic

Disney released a new trailer for the live-action version of Moana. This trailer presents the figure of actor Dwayne Johnson who returns to play Maui in a different format.

Maui's appearance looks different from the animated version where Maui is seen wearing a wig and his body is slimmer. This has sparked a debate among fans of the animated film until the actor and director Thomas Kail explained the concept of the Maui character.

"We knew (the hair) had to be something that looked real," Thomas Kail said.

"How to look wet?" is a conversation we had when working on Moana. One (wig) weighs 7 kg with all the water for hours a day," he continued.

Dwayne Johnson, who previously played the animated version of Maui, didn't expect that the challenge he faced for the live-action version was wearing prosthetics and wigs. "That's 40 kg," said Dwayne Johnson.

"There's a freedom when you're performing as an actor or singing. So it's kind of an adjustment of how to compose my emotions through 40 kg of prosthetics and the hair and body I'm using," he explained.

Furthermore, Johnson explained that he was filming the film Moana after starring in The Smashing Machine from director Benny Safdie and was required to gain weight. Then, he was asked to lose weight for the film Lizard Music.

"Maui is a big guy and I can't lose weight because if I lose, he will lose here (neck). I can't wear a bodysuit with a small neck. 40, 50 kg is very heavy to put on and keep for months," said Dwayne Johnson.

The actor asked the public to look forward to the results and wait for behind-the-scenes photos showing his struggle to wear wigs and prosthetics. More than that, Johnson felt this role was a form of homage to Polynesian culture.

"There's still a sense of pride and joy, and an idea of community, culture, and sharing, not an exclusive attitude. We all share in this. We all share together. So you feel that responsibility and it does feel different," said Dwayne Johnson.

Meanwhile, the film Moana will be released in theaters on July 10, 2026.