Despite being mocked over Maui's wig in the first live-action Moana trailer, Dwayne Johnson says the hair is "crucial" to the "integrity of the character"

An image of Maul (Dwayne Johnson) from the Moana trailer — (Image credit: Disney)

It seems that there is only one thing that Disney fans can talk about at the moment: Maui's wig in the Moana live-action remake. But the hair is here to stay, as star Dwayne Johnson says it's part of the character.

"The wig was very crucial and important because, in holding onto the integrity of the character from the animated version, Maui was very proud of his hair. And he had beautiful hair, beautiful demigod hair," said Johnson to Entertainment Weekly. It is important to note that the interview took place before the trailer hit the internet.

Since the first trailer for the upcoming live-action Moana movie dropped on Monday, March 23, Johnson's new hairstyle has attracted a lot of attention online. "I can’t take The Rock seriously in the live-action Moana with that wig on," said one fan on Twitter, and another echoed, "I just can't get over the idea that they just slapped a wig on The Rock for live-action #Moana and called it good. That's just... I can't stop laughing."

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The trailer even caught the attention of comedian Weird Al Yankovic, who pointed out the similarities between the new Maui and his satirical character. The comedian posted a screenshot of Johnson on Instagram, writing, "We’ve told all the casting agents that the Weird Al biopic sequel is currently on hold, but they just keep sending in headshots."

Despite the criticisms, it doesn't sound like Disney will budge. Johnson said that a lot of thought went into Maui's hair, and the filmmakers even thought about using digital effects to bring the demigod's flowing locks to life. "There were a handful of iterations that we were looking to apply," added Johnson. "But ultimately, we have to go back to the main thing, which is, what’s the best thing for the film and the audience’s experience?"

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.