Hualālai Chung’s Moni is ‘one of the bigger hearts’ of ‘Moana 2’

SP: Christina, can you tell me a little bit about the process of involving consultants and people from the culture to make sure you guys got it right?
Christina Chen: We worked with our Oceanic Culture Trust, led by Kalikolehua Hurley, and to Kalikolehua’s credit, on the first film, she really led the charge in setting this high bar—making sure that the culture was represented in a way that authentically fit with the story. And it was such a powerful way to shine the light on the Pacific Islander community and empower them, because these cultural consultants lend a voice of authority. They helped shape the storytelling of our film.

We worked with Nainoa Thompson, and he is this amazing, incredible navigator. We talked to him about, what does it mean to feel lost in an ocean? What does a storm look like? These conversations really fueled the inspiration for the writers, the directors, and myself in really trying to say, “How does this feel for Moana to be in a storm?” Working with these consultants is critical.

SP: What was one thing that you were surprised to learn? Whether about navigating or being on the ocean, or from this whole experience?
CC: One thing that's pretty amazing is that Nainoa Thompson told us that for most people, getting lost is the most terrifying thing in a storm—that's the thing you don't want to do. He told us, actually getting lost is a pathway to magic. And I was like, “Gosh, it's such a beautiful way to encompass not only what it must be like to be a navigator on the ocean, but all of our lives too.” We’re all afraid of being lost or not knowing what to do. I’ve really got to remember this in my life—that getting lost and not knowing what to do is okay. It’s sometimes a different way to find where you need to go.

Never be afraid to evolve to who you want to be. Never let the confines of your surroundings and your environment keep you from being who your heart tells you to be.

SP: Hualālai, Moni is the storyteller, the historian of the crew and that helps them once they are lost. Is that something you could relate to in your personal life?
HC: There's a phrase, a proverb in Hawaiian culture. It (translates to), “What comes ahead of us is from what came before us.” We will move ahead by looking at the past. Playing into Moni being a historian, I think culturally, we oftentimes try to grow by looking at things that have come before us. You learn a lot about yourself, the things that you've done and how you want to move forward, the people that you want to move forward with. And I think that's a very universal thing for a lot of people.

Even in the concept of being lost. When you feel like you experienced so much and have gotten so little, you have nowhere to go but anywhere your heart desires. Having the confidence to strive for anything that you want because of where you've been, is a huge model that everybody could learn from, and everybody could really connect with. That's pretty much a big underlying theme of Moana, both in the first movie and in the next movie: Never be afraid to evolve to who you want to be. Never let the confines of your surroundings and your environment keep you from being who your heart tells you to be.

SP: In Moana 2 they're expanding. She's got the whole crew, and a little sister. We're seeing the community grow. That also means growing opportunities for Pacific Islander artists and actors. I know with animated projects, people don't always get to work with their colleagues. Were you actually able to meet some of your co-stars?
HC: The cool thing about being in Hawaii is everybody wants to come to Hawaii. [Laughs.] I've had the opportunity to work remotely with the team, but also I've been able to work with some of the team that's flown into Hawaii. I've made the journey over to Burbank and L.A. to work with a bunch of the team.

And the fun part about having a cast that's so representative of Polynesia, the culture, and the Pacific Islands, is that at some point in time, a lot of them have made their way through Hawaii. And the beauty of today's day and age is you can connect simply with the click of a few buttons.

SP: What has been your favorite part of being part of Moana 2?
HC: That is so hard to dial down. But I will say there was a session that I had. I voiced lines that spoke to the idea of wanting to tell stories and be part of some of the most amazing tales all of my life, and never, ever thinking that I finally get to be in one. I remember being in Burbank at the studio. (Screenwriter and executive producer) Jared Bush was in the booth with me, and the rest of the team was in the control room. I just remember the weight of emotion piling up.

I remember standing there in that booth, reading those lines that spoke to that, and just thinking, “Holy moly! What is happening?” And that is something that I will take on for the rest of my life, and I will encourage everyone and anyone to strive to achieve.

SP: What was one of the challenges of doing this?
HC: In doing such a project, coming from the community I come from, we place a lot of pressure on ourselves, because we want to get it right. We want to make everybody proud. We want to do right by our people, by the entire Disney community, to create something that fulfills the love and the desire that everybody has built up in anticipation of the second movie.

The only thing that really got me out of that headspace, stress, and pressure was meeting everybody and realizing that we're all going through that. They wanted to give the fullness of themselves so that the community would enjoy the film, so that the entire audience would enjoy the film, and make it the best possible film and representation that it possibly could be. And that is something that I'm super proud to be part of.

SP: Okay, last question. This is not related to Moana. I know you're going to be in the live-action Lilo and Stitch, so is there anything you can tell me about that?
CC: Stitch dies, right?

HC: Yes, they all die, and then I become the main character of the film. [Laughs.] No, all I'll say is that you may not recognize me at first. But I'll be one of the first humans that Stitch ever meets.

CC: I haven't heard that either! Very cool.

HC: I’ll leave it at that.