The rock brings daughters to Moana premiere in rare outing
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brought all three daughters—Simone, Jasmine, and Tiana—to the July 7 world premiere of Disney's live-action Moana in Los Angeles, a rare family red carpet outing that underscored how personal the project has become for the star as he reprises Maui. The event doubled as a celebration of Polynesian culture and a preview of the film opening nationwide July 10.
Johnson told Access Hollywood that sharing the night with his mother and daughters meant "everything." He also performed on stage with co-star Catherine Lagaʻaia, turning the premiere into more than a standard studio rollout for one of Disney's most culturally significant franchises.
Key Takeaways
- Johnson was joined by Simone, 24, Jasmine, 10, and Tiana, 8, alongside wife Lauren Hashian and mother Ata.
- He secured a brief onscreen family cameo after asking director Thomas Kail to capture three generations together.
- Johnson and Lagaʻaia performed a Polynesian dance on stage during the Los Angeles premiere.
- The live-action Moana, directed by Thomas Kail, opens in theaters July 10.
- Johnson wore a 40-pound bodysuit to return to Maui's proportions after filming The Smashing Machine.
Why did the rock turn the Moana premiere into a family affair?
According to NBC Los Angeles, Johnson approached Kail about finding a small role for his family, hoping to place three generations together on screen. The request was granted, resulting in a brief cameo Johnson called "very special."
He also used the premiere to showcase Polynesian culture on stage with Lagaʻaia. Johnson described the moment as a proud display of heritage, humility, and identity—values central to the live-action reimagining.
Who joined Johnson on the red carpet?
Simone, whom Johnson shares with ex-wife Dany Garcia, attended with her girlfriend Tatyanna Dumas. Garcia and her husband Dave Rienzi were also at the event. Jasmine and Tiana, whom Johnson shares with Hashian, joined the celebration as well.
The sisters previously appeared at the Moana 2 premiere in Oahu, Hawaii, in November 2024 and voiced characters in that animated sequel. Their return to the carpet for the live-action premiere marked another rare public outing for Johnson's younger daughters.
How did Johnson transform back into Maui for the live-action film?
In an exclusive interview with E! News, Johnson said he went straight from The Smashing Machine—where he was about 50 pounds heavier—onto the Moana set with no time to reshape his body for Maui.
Filmmakers instead used a 40-pound bodysuit crafted by Oscar-winning makeup head Joel Harlow. Johnson said fans would have rejected the wrong physique, and the suit also helped visual effects animate Maui's living tattoos.
His daughters Simone, Jasmine, and Tiana found his long Maui wig jarring for about 10 minutes when they first saw him in full costume. Johnson told E! that mastering the film's beloved musical choreography brought even greater pressure than the prosthetics.
What does the live-action Moana mean for Polynesian representation?
In a D23 Q&A, Johnson said he wanted audiences to see "real flesh and blood and souls behind the eyes" in the live-action version of the Oscar-nominated animated hit. He linked the project to a growing global curiosity about Polynesian culture.
Lagaʻaia, making her feature debut as Moana, said the animated heroine felt like true representation—even when she looked more like her sister than herself. Johnson praised director Kail's vision to etch the story "in stone" rather than sand, framing the remake as a lasting tribute rather than a fleeting retread. For more on how culture and spectacle collide in modern entertainment, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.