Dwayne Johnson recently talked about his remarkable transformation as Maui for Moana. The new live-action movie’s trailer revealed his look as Maui. Interestingly, Johnson voiced the character in the 2016 animated classic film and reprised his role in its 2024 sequel.
Dwayne Johnson breaks down transforming into Maui with 40-pound prosthetics
In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Johnson detailed the incredible transformation as Maui for the live-action remake of Moana. The 53-year-old star revealed he had about four weeks to prepare for the movie after The Smashing Machine.
He opened up about the bodysuit he wore for the role. The actor shared, “The thing that became a challenge, that I had to work through very quickly, that I didn’t anticipate, was the prosthetics and the hair and then the body. That is an additional 40 pounds on you.”
The actor, famously known as The Rock, confessed it was a bit of a challenge to emote through the prosthetics. Johnson explained, “There’s a freedom when you perform, whether it’s as an actor or singing. So that was an adjustment on how to actually work my emotions through the 40 pounds of prosthetics and hair and body that I had on me.”
However, The Rock explained that the real challenge was maintaining the physique. “Maui was a big guy, and I couldn’t lose the weight because when you lose weight, you lose it here,” he said, pointing to his neck.
The Jumanji star went on to reveal that the bodysuit made him hot and that it was unbearable. Johnson shared, “I couldn’t have a big bodysuit and then a small little skinny neck. Forty, 50 pounds is a lot to put on. Then it’s a lot to maintain for months… It was grueling because of the suit and how hot it was… In between takes, there’s literally five, six people, all [with] fans, opening me up, pulling my hair back.”
Fans will get to see Johnson in the role of Maui when the movie hits theaters on July 10, 2026.
