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Pop Culture Happy Hour · July 10, 2026 · 22m

Moana and What’s Making Us Happy

Catherine Laga'aia, Dwayne Johnson, Lin-Manuel Miranda
Show Notes

This episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour discusses Disney's new live-action remake of Moana. Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui, this time appearing in person rather than just voicing the character, while newcomer Catherine Laga'aia takes on the title role. The film includes a new song by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also wrote music for the original animated film. The hosts consider how the remake differs from the original and what it adds to Disney's growing catalog of live-action adaptations.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Editorial

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Disney's Live-Action Remake Trend
The episode discusses the ongoing trend of Disney remaking its animated classics in live-action format.
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Dwayne Johnson as Live-Action Maui
Dwayne Johnson portrays Maui in live-action, a notable shift from his voice role in the original animated film.
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Lin-Manuel Miranda's New Song
Lin-Manuel Miranda contributes a new song to the live-action Moana, adding to the music he wrote for the 2016 original.
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Return of the Chicken (Heihei)
The episode mentions that Moana sets out with her chicken, referencing the comedic character Heihei from the original.
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Misc

✧Dwayne Johnson appears in the flesh as Maui after voicing him in the 2016 animated film.
✧The film features a new song by Lin-Manuel Miranda, extending his collaboration with Disney.
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