Auli'i Cravalho Announces She's 'Officially Returning' for 'Moana 2'

It’s official – Auli’i Cravalho is reprising her titular role in the upcoming Moana 2!

The 23-year-old actress shared the news with a cute video on Instagram, outside the Disney Animation building in Burbank, Calif.

“We’re sailing WAY beyond the reef this November… ❤️🌀🐚 #Moana2,” she captioned the video.

Keep reading to find out more…

In the clip, Auli’i walks into frame, puts a yellow flower on her ear and jumps in the air, all while lip-syncing to Beyoncé‘s “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

Over the video, she wrote, “The feeling when you’re officially returning to Motunui.”

The Moana movie sequel was surprise announced earlier this month by Disney CEO Bob Iger, replacing the TV series that was in the works.

While it was presumed that Auli’i and Dwayne Johnson would reprise their voice roles, it was revealed they were still “in talks” to return. They both also shared the sequel announcement teaser.

Just a few days before her announcement video, Auli’i teased that they’ve actually been working on the movie for a while!

“What I can tell you is that we’ve been working really hard on it and it will come out November of 2024, which is only a few months away, so clearly we’ve been working on it for a minute without telling anyone. God, we’re good,” she told EW on the carpet at the SAG Awards.

Not only is Moana 2 coming out THIS November (get more details here!), but they are also working on a live-action adaptation of Moana.

Auli’i and Dwayne are both executive producing, with Dwayne reprising his role of demigod Maui. It has been confirmed that Auli’i will not play the live action Moana, and they will give the opportunity to a young actress, who has already been cast!