Dwayne Johnson hopes to inspire young girls to follow their dreams.
“I think that the main thing about Moana is this idea of female empowerment, and this idea that we always say, ‘What’s it like being on the reef and looking beyond the reef?'” The 52-year-old actor stars in the new Disney animation Moana 2 and Dwayne observed that the movie centers on the theme of “female empowerment.” The original Moana grossed over $690 million worldwide and earned two Academy Award nominations.
The wrestler-turned-actor told E! News. The first film’s soundtrack spent 52 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart, with “How Far I’ll Go” becoming a global anthem.
Johnson stressed that the movie’s central message is universal, “even if you’re not part of Polynesian culture.” Disney spent over three years researching Polynesian culture and traditions to ensure authentic representation in both films.
“It’s this idea that what people like to do — especially to young girls— is kind of constrain them, and pretzel them into, ‘You can only be so much.’ But in Moana 2, you can actually be anything you want,” said the actor — who has Jasmine, 8, and Tiana, 6, with his wife Lauren Hashian, as well as Simone, 23, with Dany Garcia. The character of Moana has inspired numerous educational programs focused on female leadership and cultural awareness.
Johnson first found fame as a wrestler, before he switched his focus towards Hollywood. His wrestling career spanned eight years as a main event performer, earning him 10 world championships and making him one of WWE’s most decorated stars.
Johnson is now one of the best-paid actors in the movie business, but he has previously admitted he will “always be a pro wrestler at heart.” His films have grossed over $12.5 billion worldwide, making him one of the highest-grossing actors in cinema history.
“I love it,” Johnson told “Entertainment Tonight.” He continued, “I love what I do, I love this world of wrestling, I love pro wrestling.”
Throughout his career, Johnson has pioneered the successful transition from wrestling to mainstream entertainment, paving the way for other wrestlers.
“I was born into pro wrestling,” he said. “I will always be a pro wrestler at heart and in attitude too.”
His father Rocky Johnson and grandfather Peter Maivia were both professional wrestlers, making Dwayne a third-generation performer in the industry. Dwayne returned to the WWE on a part-time basis in 2023, and he’s relished the opportunity. His return garnered massive media attention and resulted in some of WWE’s highest-rated television segments of the year.
“I’m so grateful to come back in this capacity that I could come back and give to this business and give to the men and women in that locker room, and try and do my little part to do this with everything and create greater opportunities for all of them,” said the actor, who joined the board of WWE’s parent company, TKO.
The TKO Group Holdings merger with WWE was valued at over $21 billion, marking one of the largest entertainment industry deals of 2023.
Recent studies have shown that representation in animated films like Moana has a significant impact on young viewers’ self-perception and aspirations. The franchise has also contributed to increased interest in Polynesian culture and history among younger generations, with many educational institutions incorporating elements of the films into their cultural awareness programs.
