How old is Moana in the film?

Moana is 16 years old in the film.

The story establishes her age through its timeline: after Maui steals Te Fiti’s heart, the film jumps forward sixteen years, when Moana is living on Motunui as the daughter of Chief Tui and Sina. At that point, she is preparing to inherit her father’s leadership role.

Her age matters to the story because she is old enough to face adult responsibilities but still young enough to be caught between family expectations and her own calling. Tui wants her to remain safely on the island and become its next chief, while Moana feels drawn toward the ocean and the voyaging traditions of her ancestors.

Moana’s journey begins when blight damages Motunui’s crops and fishing grounds. Her grandmother Tala reveals that their people were once voyagers and explains that Moana must help return the heart to Te Fiti. The 16-year-old protagonist therefore becomes both a reluctant leader and a skilled wayfinder. The number is sometimes confused with Auliʻi Cravalho’s age, but the character’s age and the actor’s age are not the same.