Dwayne Johnson confirms he wore a bodysuit for live-action ‘Moana’

Even Dwayne Johnson needs a little help maintaining the bod of a demigod.

The star, who voices the braggadocious Polynesian deity Maui in both Moana and Moana 2, has revealed the true nature of his hulking physique in the upcoming live-action version of the princess story.

“That’s a suit that took a long time to put on,” he said during a recent interview with Extra, noting that he appreciated the interviewer asking if he put on extra muscle to play the live-action Maui. “I’m so happy that you said, ‘You bulked up,’ because when you said, ‘You bulked up,’ that means you couldn’t tell.”

Johnson then gave credit to Joel Harlow, the makeup artist who designed the suit. “That is a couple of hours every day, of transforming, putting that on,” the Fast Five star said. Harlow won an Oscar for his work in 2009’s Star Trek and has worked with Johnson on several other projects, including Jungle Cruise, Black Adam, and Red One. 

The Pain and Gain actor added that even though the live-action Moana production took special precautions to avoid unwanted on-set photography, images of Johnson in his suit emerged nonetheless. “We shot outside, and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, ‘S—, we got caught!'” he recalled. “We were putting up walls so there was no paparazzi, but they got in the boats and they started shooting pictures.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Johnson explained how playing live-action Maui felt different from providing his voice in the animated Moana movies. “I have a handle on who Maui is: I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration, I can access things, you got it,” he said. “The moment I stepped on set as live-action Maui, I realized right away, ‘Oh, wow. This is different, in terms of, this is real flesh and blood and skin and bones, and it becomes real all of a sudden. So then it’s almost like getting into my grandfather’s skin.”

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Johnson opened up about what Maui means to him in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. “When I got to Maui, I was like, ‘Okay, I know who this is,'” he said. “This guy who is very presentational, who puts on a show, who loves to hold court, sing and dance, and make people feel good. But there’s a lot that’s brewing deep down that, eventually, he is going to have to contend with because it’s like a ball that you’re holding underwater. Eventually, you’ve got to let the ball go, and it’s going to explode.”

The actor wants Maui’s openness, particularly in Moana 2, to help viewers find the strength to be vulnerable, too. “It’s an important moment for people to see that you can be strong, you can be big, you can be independent, but it’s okay to ask for help,” he said. “When you do finally ask for help, the universe and your loved ones have a way of meeting you halfway. Even the strongest of people need help.”

Moana 2 is playing now in theaters. The live-action Moana is set for release on July 10, 2026.