Moana live-action reveals Rena Owen's journey to Gramma Tala

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New preview reveals how Rena Owen nearly played Gramma Tala in the animated film before taking on the role in the live-action version of Moana.

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The live-action version of Moana has released a new featurette focused on Rena Owen’s journey to playing Gramma Tala. Released ahead of the film’s digital debut next week, the footage reveals a connection spanning nearly a decade between Owen and the character.

In the original animated film, released nearly a decade ago, Gramma Tala was voiced by Rachel House. Owen had auditioned for the role but ran into an unexpected obstacle: she could not sing along with the sheet music. That opened the door for House to take on the character, while Owen continued her career with roles in Once Were Warriors and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

When Disney began casting the remake, the studio approached the actress again. This time, Owen was encouraged to take part in the reading despite not fully understanding the notes in front of her. For the actress, the reunion felt like fate. Director Thomas Kail also said he knew she should play Moana’s grandmother from the moment he saw her on set.

Owen’s presence in the cast held special significance for co-stars John Tui and Frankie Adams. Both highlighted the actress’s importance as a trailblazer for New Zealand performers after a far-reaching film career.

In the new film, Catherine Laga'aia plays Moana, while Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui. The story once again follows the island chief’s daughter on a journey to save her people. The live-action film arrives after Moana 2, the 2024 sequel that followed Moana, Maui and a new crew as they sought to reconnect the island peoples with the ocean, and which earned more than $1 billion at the box office.