[Sportschosun, Ahn So-yoon] Director Thomas Kail explained why he cast Catherine Laga'aia as the lead in the film "Moana."
At a video press conference for "Moana" held on the 29th, Thomas Kail said, "The moment Catherine Laga'aia walked into the room for her audition, I felt like I had found Moana."
Set to open on July 8, "Moana" is a live-action adaptation of the animated film of the same name. It follows Moana, a girl chosen by the sea, as she sets out into the unknown with the legendary hero Maui to save her cursed island. Thomas Kail, who directed the musical "Hamilton: An American Musical," which won 11 awards at the 70th Tony Awards, helmed the film. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who composed many of the original soundtrack songs including "How Far I'll Go," also joined the project as a producer.
In particular, Catherine Laga'aia was selected for the role of Moana after beating out 32,000 other hopefuls. Kail said, "So many actors applied for the role of Moana," adding, "Catherine seemed to have only recently realized it, but she was clearly looking for qualities that are difficult to portray as an actor."
He went on to explain why she was chosen, saying, "She sang 'How Far I'll Go' and performed two scenes, and I still vividly remember how I felt at that moment." He added, "She sang beautifully, but I could tell she truly understood the emotion. After hearing her sing, I stood up from my chair and said, 'I think we found Moana.'"
"Dwayne Johnson had already been cast as Maui," he said. "We were looking for an actress who could match Maui's essence and presence, and the moment Catherine walked into the room, we all nodded right away."
Ahn So-yoon, antahn22@sportschosun.com
