Why Does Everybody Love Moana So A lot? Disney Animation’s Chief Inventive Officer Explains [Exclusive]

I can not wait. And now you’ve these new characters which can be becoming into this world that is already rather well established they usually all have such distinct personalities. How do you determine, “These are the characters that I would like?” Did you give you an vitality you wished first or was it a selected character that was simply speaking in your head and you are like, “I’ve acquired to get them out on paper”?

Nicely, I believe I had the advantage of simply having completed in “Encanto,” the place we had a really large solid and also you needed to instantly perceive who every of these characters had been and listen to that voice instantly and have these all [exist] individually, and having that very high of thoughts for me as we headed into this subsequent story. Constructing [a supporting cast of characters], we knew everybody needed to have very distinct personalities, and also you wished these to pop instantly. And I believe leveraging off the concept that Moana is someone who thought she understood who she was, that she figured herself out, that she developed and she or he acquired herself into a extremely good place, we wished to encompass her with characters that might problem that.

You might have Loto, who modifications herself each three seconds. She could be very joyful to destroy something within the pursuit of evolution. You might have Kele, the grumpy previous farmer — he is aware of who he’s. He is a man who lives within the dust and he is joyful within the dust and he is by no means going to alter. These are reverse poles and Moana’s in the midst of that. After which you’ve Moni, who’s the storyteller who would not even know that is a query he needs to be asking. And I believe for all three of these characters, we wished to encompass Moana with individuals who would have an opinion about how we evolve, and is that doable and what change can do?

And there is additionally the time-honored custom of Disney animal sidekicks.

After all.

Love all of them dearly. They’re the shining beacon in any Disney movie.

Good.

However the query that I’ve for you is, how do you resolve when you are going to give them slightly bit right here and there?

I want I may say that it was this formulation, however I’ll say that normally what occurs is we’ve tons of of folks that work on this film and all of our motion pictures, and a fantastic concept will are available in and simply demand to be on display screen — one thing you’d by no means count on. I believe, clearly, you have seen Heihei originally of this film and the way he finds his approach into the story. Sometimes with Heihei, he isn’t tremendous sensible, however someway he comes throughout one thing vitally vital and that helps Moana on her path. I believe that we had lots of people within the constructing who could not wait to see how silly they might make Heihei. [laughs] 

After which I believe on the flip aspect, everybody so badly wished Pua to be on the canoe final time. And having the chance to do this, I believe it was actually enjoyable for individuals. Pua shouldn’t be nice on the market on that canoe, however this isn’t one thing he needs to be doing in any respect. And watching him attempt to discover his bravery I believe is a extremely enjoyable story arc for him, too.

“Moana 2” finds its approach into theaters on November 27, 2024.