7 Fun Facts About Dwayne Johnson and Moana

When I think about Dwayne Johnson, I think about The Rock. I think about his time in the WWE (yes, I watched weekly) and pretty much just adore the man. Like his character in Disney's Moana, Johnson is charismatic, funny, and seems like a fun guy to be around. The fact that he has Samoan roots certainly made him a good candidate to play Maui, and you can just feel that this role was meant for him when you're watching the film (be sure to check out my Moana review for more details).

We got to sit down with Dwayne Johnson during the press junket for Moana and it was everything I thought it would be. He IS a fun guy to be around. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard during an interview.

Check out the Moana trailer:

Here are 7 fun facts about Dwayne Johnson and Moana

1.) He's proud of his Polynesian culture. 

We asked Dwayne why it was important for him to play the role of Maui. At first, he said, "What's that thing.... money!" We all laughed, and that was the first glimpse we had into how funny Dwayne Johnson really is. He then added, "It was a great way to show our Polynesian culture to the world. I'm half Samoan and half black. I wasn't sure if I was going to have another chance to showcase our culture. It was also an opportunity to work with Disney on an animated film. I'd done two live actions in the past and it's a different machine." He also said that it was an opportunity to make a movie that was not only good but could be a classic. I think he's definitely right about that.

2.) Exercising his voice was a whole new experience.

Taking on a voice role is a totally different beast. We wanted to know what the biggest challenge was when it came to voicing Maui. Dwayne told us, "It's a different muscle to exercise. But, I had a lot of help around me. I had to find a way to add zest and life to words. How to articulate different emotions. I wanted the words that I spoke to have life and the correct tone and inclinations.

3.) He wasn't afraid to sing.... or rap! 

It's easy to typecast someone like "The Rock" into certain athletic-type roles, but he's so much more versatile than you'd think. After seeing Moana, I think you'll agree. We wanted to know how he felt about rapping in singing during his solo, "You're Welcome." Dwayne said, "It was a great opportunity to push myself and to sing. The bar is set very high in a Disney movie with the element of music. I felt confident that I could prepare to do the things I could control, but they also surrounded me with musical masterminds. To Lin's credit, he did a lot of deep dive research... and he'd find a comfortable range that I could sing in and I had a really good time."

4.) People's "Sexiest Man of the Year" isn't too good to dress up like Pikachu.

Dwayne Johnson was just named People's Sexiest Man Alive, but he'll tell you that being a father comes first. He told us a story about how much his 11-month-old daughter loved Pikachu after seeing him at a pumpkin patch recently, so he bought a Pikachu costume and since then the lovable yellow character comes for weekly visits - and even does a little dancing!

5.) If he only had one "Maui tattoo" it would represent the most important thing to him.

In Disney’s Moana, Dwayne’s character Maui has tattoos that he “earns.” They appear when he does something notable. So, we asked Dwayne what his tattoo would be, if he could only have one. He said it would represent being a father.

6.) It's not JUST about the eyebrows.

When you're watching Moana, you'll probably find quite a few things that Maui does that remind you of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Sure, you'll recognize his signature expressive eyebrows, but there's more to it than that.

We asked Dwayne what else he saw in Maui that was specific to him. He said, "There is a part of Maui that I can appreciate. It's my DNA; I share that with him. There's a fun side to Maui and a need to keep things fun and on the lighter side and not quick to show vulnerability. And also lots of bravado. You can mask a lot with bravado."

When asked about the production experience and capturing his likeness, Dwayne said, "There are multiple cameras on you as you're going through the lines. And your facial expressions will inform the animators of Maui's expressions. There are all of these amazing, unique things that take place to capture the animation."

7.) He wants you to follow the little voice.

We wanted to know what Dwayne hoped people would take away from Moana. He replied, "I think the cultural aspect is very cool and that they did a tremendous job that represents our culture and makes us proud. There was hesitation at first but it was quickly quelled. They had done their research for years and it comes out in the authenticity of the writing. Showcasing our culture and seeing the wonderful, fierce qualities and a tremendous pride."

But, there was a deeper message that he thinks that he hopes resonates with all people. "A great takeaway that speaks to all ages, cultures, religions... We have a little voice inside of us and we need to follow that voice, listen to that voice and have that faith that you can be more... Also, have confidence in yourself and you are good enough and you can do this. Often there is a saying, 'Don't go beyond the reef.' Well, you can go beyond the reed. And, listen to the little voice inside you. Life is noisy and it's important to listen to the little voice.

8.) You can make him blush (and sweat)! 

We had a REALLY fun moment with Dwayne. One of the bloggers in our group wanted to know more about how the animators adapted his personality and features into the character Maui. While asking the question, she made a funny gesture like pec muscles moving up and down... which led to Dwayne (and all of us!) looking at her chest. We all laughed, he blushed and started sweating a little. It was hysterical! He ended up taking a little break to get a napkin to wipe his neck. It showed us what a fun sense of humor he has.

Be sure to check out my full Moana review to get all the details about the film and be sure to check it out in theaters on November 23rd!

Special thanks to Louise Bishop / MomStart.com and Disney for the photos for this post!

Here's official information about Moana from Disney:

Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder. Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”) and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”), “Moana” sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.

Thank you to Disney for inviting me to the press junket and premiere of Moana!