Dwayne Johnson reveals heartfelt inspiration behind portrayal of Maui in ‘Moana’

Dwayne Johnson honored his late grandfather Peter Maivia’s influence on his Moana character

In a recent chat on Good Morning America on Monday, Nov. 25, the wrestler-turned-actor reflected on how his wrestler grandfather’s legacy has impacted his voice role of Maui the demigod, in the upcoming animated sequel.

“My grandfather, he died here, in Hawaii. And he died in 1982,” Johnson got emotional while recalling.

He went on to say, “We were here when he died, and I was running around; I didn’t understand the significance of his passing. I was 10.”

It is pertinent to mention that Grandpa Maivia was a Samoan high chief and WWE wrestler,

“(Maivia) was just like Maui, from his build to his hair to his charisma, and he would sing, and he was loved,” the Jumanji actor noted.

“So every time I play Maui, I’m in the skin of my grandfather. And it really moves me,” he added.

For those unversed Johnson reprised Maui’s role in the upcoming sequel of Moana which is all set to hit theaters in the USA on November 27.