[Sportschosun, Ahn So-yoon] Actress Catherine Laga'aia shared her thoughts on taking on the lead role in the film 'Moana'.
At an online press conference for 'Moana' held on the 29th, Catherine Laga'aia said, "'Moana' is a wonderful character who represents women from Pacific island countries," and added, "I think there are many things that are similar to me."
Set for release on July 8, 'Moana' is a live-action adaptation of the 2017 animated film of the same name. It follows Moana, a girl chosen by the sea, as she sets out into the unknown ocean with the legendary hero Maui to save an island cursed by a dark spell. The film is directed by Thomas Kail, who won 11 awards at the 70th Tony Awards for the musical 'Hamilton: An American Musical,' and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed many of its OSTs, including the signature track 'How Far I'll Go'.
Catherine Laga'aia, who has Samoan heritage, has grandparents who are both from Savai'i in the South Pacific and the Samoa Islands, the setting for 'Moana'. She said, "In 2016, I wanted to pay tribute to 'Moana.' At the time of its release, I thought it had created a wonderful character representing women from Pacific island countries." She added, "I grew up watching great characters like this from a young age, so I felt I could be someone who shares representative characters with many people. I have long admired Moana's boldness, bravery, and curiosity, and I wanted to act while emphasizing those qualities. I think Moana and I are very similar in many ways."
Ahn So-yoon, Sportschosun
