Who voices the demigod Maui in Disney's Moana?

Dwayne Johnson voices the demigod Maui in Disney’s Moana.

Known professionally as “The Rock,” Johnson supplies Maui’s speaking and singing performance in the 2016 Walt Disney Animation Studios film. Maui is a powerful, boastful shapeshifter who helps Moana restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. Johnson’s performance is particularly prominent in “You’re Welcome,” the character’s introductory song, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Disney’s Maui is loosely based on Māui, a trickster and culture hero who appears in stories from several Polynesian traditions. The animated character is not a direct retelling of one single version of those traditions; the filmmakers combined elements from across Polynesia while creating an original adventure. Maui’s magical fish hook and shape-shifting abilities are central to the film’s story.

The casting also connected the production to Polynesian representation. Johnson is of Samoan heritage, while many principal cast members came from Polynesian communities, including Auliʻi Cravalho, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, and Jemaine Clement. Johnson later reprised Maui in Moana 2 and is set to portray him in the live-action remake.