Whether you were singing along as she sailed the ocean in Moana or danced in the halls of North Shore High in Mean Girls: The Musical, Auli’i Cravalho has made it easy to fall in love with the characters she has brought to life over the past decade.
Now, with her new family musical special Lulu is a Rhinoceros coming to Apple TV+, we had the star reflect on her past iconic roles and what she’s learned along the way. Watch the video below to hear what she has to say about her journey from being a Disney princess to becoming a four-legged icon in the making:
DAILY DOT: You landed the role of Moana when you were just 14 years old. Looking back at that period in your life, is there anything that stands out to you now that your younger self might not have fully appreciated at the time?
AULIʻI CRAVALHO: I look back, and I really wish that I journaled so much of the experience. I remember only just through vague memories, no real specifics. What I do remember is I always tried to make an effort to eat at the McDonald’s of the different countries I went to, because they always have different sauces.
But besides that, it was a lot of this. It was a lot of interviews, and thankfully, I was and am very passionate about that project, but I do wish that I remember the names of people. I wish that I took more pictures, but at the same time, I was very present, and and that’s how memory goes. You know, sometimes you you remember things really vividly, and I have those memories, but other times you just forget the specifics.
Since its release, Moana has become one of Disney’s most iconic movies and is a staple viewing experience in every family household. What’s the most unexpected way Moana has continued to impact your life?
AC: I was really surprised that we got a sequel that was really cool, never guaranteed, so I was glad that that fans thought that there was enough of a story to continue to tell, but I also feel extremely proud to be a part of the Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, or the Hawaiian language dub.
So I worked on that first one for our first film, and now we’re working on the second one for our second film. And let me tell you, if you think the songs are hard in English, they are so much harder. In Hawaiian, we only have thirteen letters. Our words are very long. Try to match that with the lips of English. I’m in for a fun ride!
You recently returned for the sequel last year. If you were to reprise your role as Moana again, how would you like to see her evolve?
AC: I am just grateful that we told our second story. I mean, how cool would it be to have even more story to tell. I truly adore this character, what she represents, not just to me, but to the community of Pacific Islanders, to the community of young women, to the broader community, now that we have also included all of the Pacific now that Moana has has rejoined all of the peoples from across the entire ocean—this has become a global story. So, I think there are so many different directions it can go in, and I secretly hope I never have to say goodbye to this character. If there’s anything more, bring it on!
Your version of Janis in the movie adaptation of Mean Girls: The Musical was celebrated for being openly queer, and fans quickly started shipping her with Reneé Rapp’s Regina George. Did you sense that chemistry between the characters while filming, or was the reaction unexpected?
AC: I knew that that when there are queer characters in canon, it’s always a very exciting event. And Janice was maybe previously coded, or it was kind of the Lebanese lesbian joke of it all, that there was that confusion that caused a few laughs in that early, you know, 2000s. But it was really fun to be able to lean into that with my character, and I affectionately called Janice’s date bubblegum girl.
So there was already a love story there, I would like to say, and you’d be surprised at the fan fiction that has come out because of that. More than one of nearly full-length novels between Janice and Regina George has been sent my way thanks to those people.
You’re no stranger to voicing animated characters. What was it about the story of Lulu is a Rhinoceros that made you want to give your voice to another animated character?
AC: I’m always trying to play characters and tell stories that I haven’t done before, and I’ve never played a rhinoceros. So I was very excited for that. But I also recognize that this is a beloved book by the father-daughter duo Jason and Allison Flom, and Lulu is a Rhinoceros is so joyful.
It is a story about self-acceptance and meeting great friends along the way. And then this is also musical, and I don’t know if you know this, but I love breaking out into spontaneous song. I am a musicals girlie, and so this project just felt like kismet to me.
Lulu is a Rhinoceros is a bright family musical celebrating acceptance and identity. How do you hope the special adds to the broader conversation around self-expression in children’s media?
AC: I love animation. I think that it is such a beautiful tool to have conversations that many people will understand. Whether you are a young child, whether you’re in your 20s like me, or adults that I’m sure also not only enjoy animation, but also if they have children, watch animation a lot. And so to have these themes that can resonate with multiple audience groups and multiple age ranges is the goal.
It always is. And this film is certainly geared towards acceptance, but it will resonate with anyone who has ever felt that they haven’t been heard, or that they have been judged by others. I think what’s most important that I hope everyone takes from this film — the importance of meeting people with kindness and meeting people with curiosity instead of judgment. It would change the world around us if we all did that.
How do you inject pieces of yourself and identity into a cartoon character that you’re only voicing?
AC: I am simply that girl. I love playing pretend. I have always been a little dramatic, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. So, for Lulu, what was really exciting is that I know my voice. I know that if I add certain inflections, I’m gonna sound like Moana.
And so with Lulu, I wanted to keep her very joyous, yes, but also a little higher in my register. And then, because this is also a pop soundtrack, I wanted my voice to be crisp and very almost like I wanted to have a ring to it, and so I had a lot of fun just pulling out certain elements and getting into the heart of Lulu, because it’s a beautiful place to be.
Looking at your journey from Moana to Broadway, how has your definition of success evolved?
AC: I realize success is something that it’s just a word, the feeling of contentment is something that I am more so chasing, and I realized I could chase that also for the rest of my life. I am so proud to be working on projects like Lulu is a Rhinoceros that will outlive me, and that alone, including the rest of the projects that I’ve had the joy of working on at my ripe age of 24, this is a really great spot to be in. And I’m glad that the films I’ve worked on also have strong female leads that take control of their story and that sail across the sea, or make it all the way to Community Unity Day.
These are important themes, and so I don’t think that animation will ever be too far from me, because I simply love it so much. But I also simply enjoy making art, and that includes painting, writing music, and some of those things can also be just for myself. So, as I continue working in this industry and I chase success, I realize some of these moments can just be for me.
