News247

Disney Accused Of ‘Racism’ As People Urge Boycott Of New Moana Movie

thuyhangeditor09 mins
The internet is in uproar after Disney released the first trailer for the live-action Moana, with many viewers calling it ‘racist.’

Nearly a decade after the original animated film starring Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson first hit theaters, Disney is moving ahead with its live-action remake, bringing the story back into the spotlight. Dwayne Johnson is returning as Maui, which has added to the buzz around the project, especially among longtime fans of the 2016 classic.

The role of Moana has been handed to newcomer Catherine Laga’aia, marking her first major film appearance. Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated version, is returning in a different capacity this time, taking on the role of executive producer and offering support behind the scenes.

The live-action movie once again follows the story of Moana, a young Polynesian girl who sets out on a major voyage to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The story remains centered on her bravery and the call she receives from the ocean, which pushes her toward a journey that changes her life.

Moana leaves her island home of Motunui for the very first time, traveling past the barrier reef that she had long been warned not to cross. Her decision marks the start of her adventure and the beginning of her transformation into a leader for her people.

Disney is being accused of ‘racism’ following the release of the live-action Moana trailer.Disney
With the demigod Maui by her side, she continues her quest to restore balance and save her community. Their partnership forms the heart of the journey, mirroring the themes that made the animated film so popular.

The teaser trailer runs just 60 seconds, but it still manages to showcase one of the film’s most recognizable songs, ‘How Far I’ll Go’, which fans quickly pointed out in their reactions.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who helped create the original soundtrack, is closely linked to the music featured in the new trailer. His influence is clear, and fans were quick to identify familiar musical elements as soon as the teaser dropped.

Even with the excitement surrounding the remake, many viewers expressed disappointment with how Moana has been reimagined in live action. People online have been sharing their reactions, and a common complaint has emerged across multiple platforms.

One person said: “I hate Disney so much.”

Another added: “This is why we can’t have nice things.”

A major issue raised by fans is the appearance of Moana’s hair in the live-action version, which they believe looks noticeably different compared to the animated original.

Catherine Laga’aia plays Moana in the upcoming film.Disney

In the animated film, Moana’s hair is thick, curly, and heavily shaped by the wind and ocean, reflecting her environment and heritage. In the new live-action trailer, however, her hair appears much straighter and flatter, which many viewers immediately pointed out.

Fans have argued that the change feels like whitewashing, especially because Catherine Laga’aia’s natural hair outside the role looks much closer to the animated style. The difference has sparked a wave of criticism as people question why such a defining feature of the character was altered.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, one user said: “Making her have straight hair even though the OG hair of the actor is just like Moana’s is incredibly f***ing racist.”

Another person shared their frustration as well, adding: “This looks awful and they whitewashed Moana.”

A third viewer wrote: “So not only Disney got an actress who has lighter skin than animated Moana, they also straightened her hair because I guess they didn’t think they whitewashed her character enough.”

Beyond criticism of casting choices, fans also recalled that Disney invested heavily in technology back in 2016 to create realistic curly hair for the animated version of Moana. The original film was widely praised for the accuracy and detail shown in its hair animation, which made the change in the live-action trailer stand out even more to longtime fans.

Moana’s hair in the original animated movie.Disney

According to the official Walt Disney Animation Studios website: “Moana featured characters with long curly hair interacting heavily with both the characters and their environment.”

“This level of complexity in hair interactions and dynamics presented demanding simulation needs, which led to changes throughout the hair simulation pipeline, from grooming to technical animation.”

However, not everyone reacted negatively to the new trailer. Some viewers argued that the criticism was exaggerated and pointed out that Polynesian people do not all have the same hair texture.

Defending the trailer, an X user said: “Polynesians have straight hair too.”

Another viewer pushed back even harder, adding: “Now woke weirdos are slamming [Disney] just for Moana’s hair being straight and not curled.”

“You can’t make this stuff up!”

Disney has faced accusations of whitewashing before. A well-known example involved Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, whose appearance was noticeably altered in the trailer for Wreck-It Ralph 2. After fans objected to her lighter skin tone and more Eurocentric features, Disney reworked her design before the film’s release.

Even with the ongoing debate, the Moana franchise remains extremely popular with audiences around the world. The sequel, which premiered in November 2024, earned more than USD $1 billion globally, showing that fans still have a strong connection to the story and its characters.

The live-action Moana is set to arrive in theaters on July 10, 2026, and the conversation surrounding it will likely continue as more footage is released.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related News

Back To Top