Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson On Moana 2’s ‘Emotionality,’ Why Maui Is a Fan Favorite

Moana 2 is now out in theaters, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson recently spoke about Maui’s popularity with the fans and what to expect in the new film. The Disney animated sequel released on Wednesday, and the cast did an interview with IMDB talking about the film. You can see highlights from Johnson’s comments below:

On why Maui has become a fan favorite: “I think it’s Maui’s swagger, it’s his energy. It’s his f**king ego. ‘That guy!’ I think it’s his song, he’s a lover of language. He loves to bend words and say things, and whether it’s in song or dance. His tattoos come alive, which is pretty cool. He’s a demigod, yeah.”

On what fans may be surprised with Maui in the new film: “I think they might be moved with the emotionality of Moana 2. Without giving any spoilers here, we go to places that are uncomfortable, but are real and they happen in life. And I think maybe they might be happily surprised that Maui sings another song, but the song is not about himself. It’s not, ‘You’re welcome.’ It’s, ‘Can I get a chee hoo?’ Which is empowering and motivating somebody else to be like, ‘Hey, you can do it.”

On what fans who meet him most often ask him to do: “Always ‘You’re Welcome.’ Always. It is the most request[ed] thing I get all the time is, ‘Can you sing a little of ‘You’re Welcome?’ “It’s my son’s Bar Mitzvah.’ ‘It’s my daughter’s birthday.’ ‘It’s my wedding anniversary.’ Any part of ‘You’re Welcome.’ So my go-to is usually the rap portion.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit IMDB with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.