Dwayne Johnson Opens Up About Maui’s Deepest Secrets in Moana 2: “There’s a Lot That’s Brewing Deep Down”

Dwayne Johnson’s return as Maui in Moana 2, released theatrically on November 27, 2024, and now streaming on Disney+ as of March 12, 2025, has reignited the Polynesian magic that made the 2016 original a global hit. The sequel, which sees Johnson’s larger-than-life demigod reunite with Auliʻi Cravalho’s Moana to break a curse on the lost island of Motufetu, premiered with cultural fanfare at Hawaii’s Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute on November 21, 2024. But beyond the adventure and catchy tunes like “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” what Johnson loved most about Moana 2 wasn’t the box office haul—nearing a billion dollars, per ScreenRant—or even the family cameos from his daughters. It was the chance to dive into Maui’s soul, peeling back the bombast to reveal a vulnerability that hit close to home.

A Deeper Maui

Johnson’s affection for Moana 2 centers on Maui’s evolution. In a September 12, 2024, Hindustan Times interview, he unpacked what drew him back: “That’s what I love about this character. He’s so fun and so charming and so bombastic, but there’s a lot of depth there that we’re going to get to explore in this next chapter.” Maui, the hook-wielding trickster, gets more than laughs this time—he grapples with what’s “brewing deep down,” a struggle Johnson likened to a ball held underwater, destined to rise. “He’s got to face it eventually,” he said, hinting at a rawness that contrasts with the demigod’s larger-than-life swagger.

This depth struck a chord. At CinemaCon, Johnson called the sequel “so much deeper of a movie to me, and to Disney as well,” a sentiment echoed in a Joblo piece from September 13, 2024. He saw Maui’s arc as a mirror to his own life, a chance to wrestle with vulnerabilities and insecurities he’s carried beneath his action-star exterior. “It’s not just a fun adventure,” he told EW that same day. “We want to teach these lessons to our little ones.” Mixing humor with heart, Moana 2 gave Johnson a canvas to explore a side of himself rarely seen in blockbusters like Black Adam or Fast X.

From Script to Soul

Set three years after the original, Moana 2 follows Moana’s quest to assemble a wayfinding crew with Maui’s help, a journey that tests both their skills and spirits. Originally slated as a Disney+ miniseries, its pivot to theaters paid off, but for Johnson, the real payoff was personal. He relished how the script—penned by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller—let Maui grow, not just as a sidekick but as a figure confronting his own flaws. “There’s a lot of meat there,” he told Hindustan Times, savoring the chance to flesh out a character who’s more than comic relief.

This wasn’t about the paycheck or the spotlight—though with nearly $1 billion in ticket sales, both came aplenty. It was about authenticity. Johnson, who brought daughters Jasmine and Tiana to the recording booth (noted by ABC News in May 2024), wove family into the process, but his interviews zero in on Maui’s emotional stakes over studio antics or even his new song’s earworm appeal. “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?,” dropped November 22, 2024, got him pumped, per People, yet it’s the character’s inner journey that he keeps circling back to.

A Star’s Unexpected Reflection

For a man built like a tank, known for flipping tires and cracking skulls onscreen, Johnson’s focus on vulnerability is a curveball. Moana 2 isn’t his usual turf—no car chases, no biceps flexing for the camera—but it’s where he found something real. “It’s deeper,” he repeated across platforms, a mantra that ties his Polynesian roots (he’s of Samoan descent via his mother) to a role that’s become a personal touchstone. Maui’s growth, from brash to broken and back, mirrors Johnson’s own reckoning with the softer spots beneath his tough-guy sheen.

As Moana 2 streams on Disney+ and gears up for its live-action cousin in 2026—where Johnson will again play Maui—his take stands out. Fans might love the songs or the sea-soaked visuals, but for Dwayne Johnson, the magic was in Maui’s heart. “That’s what I liked most,” he said, plain and simple. In a career of high-octane highs, it’s this quiet depth that’s left the biggest mark—at least until the next wave hits.