Here’s what we know direct from Johnson and director Thomas Kail.

Everything you might want to know about Dwayne Johnson’s Moana wig

Here's what we know direct from Johnson and director Thomas Kail.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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March 24, 2026 2:04 p.m. ET

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Dwayne Johnson's 'Moana' wig. Credit:

The internet has spoken and the standout of the new live-action *Moana* trailer, for better or worse, is indeed Dwayne Johnson's Maui wig.

The hair caused quite the reaction after the new preview arrived earlier on Monday. "This is definitely something," "snl lighting," and "a non-bald Dwayne Johnson feels so wrong" are just some of the responses percolating the web, while memes already started to roll in.

In separate interviews with ** that occurred prior to the trailer reveal, Johnson and director Thomas Kail answered some of our burning questions about picking the wig.

"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," the actor says. "And he had beautiful hair, beautiful demigod hair. So that process, I would say total, about two and a half hours every day was that transformation" — prosthetics and bodysuit included.

Dwayne Johnson as Maui in live-action 'Moana'.

"And there were a handful of iterations that we were looking to apply very early," he continues. "What is the most cost-effective? What's the most time-effective? 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 saw Dwayne in hair way more than I didn't," Kail, known for his work on *Hamilton* and *In the Heights*, says. "So I would see him after and I'd be like, 'That's what you look like.'"

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The story of live-action *Moana* follows the 2016 animated original. The titular heroine, the daughter of the chieftan of Motunui, is chosen by the ocean itself to journey across the sea and restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, a relic stolen thousands of years ago by the shapeshifting, seafaring demigod Maui.

Johnson is among the first Disney actors to play the same character in both animated and live-action versions of a movie. Of course, the notably shaved-headed star doesn't naturally have the bouncy curls of Maui.

Dwayne Johnson's Maui in live-action 'Moana'.

"Everybody in the world has an opinion about hair," Kail says. "They might not wanna talk to you about the lighting, they might not talk to you about the set construction, but they're gonna talk about what somebody's wearing and we're gonna think deeply about what someone's hair looks like."

So much about Maui's power and "mana," i.e. spiritual energy, is about his presence, the director continues. "As a wayfinder, you can just see him on the back of the canoe with the wind blowing. So we knew that it had to be something that could have real lift to it. You also know, because you're doing this on the water, 'what does it look like wet?' is a real conversation when you're making *Moana*."

Johnson's wig for Maui weighs approximately 7 pounds when it's wet.

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"You're just constantly scrutinizing it," Kail adds. "What are the different looks? What does it feel like when we put it up in the top knot? What does it look like if it's over to one side? What does it look like if he's in the middle of a fight? Then the hope is, like with anything else, you start watching it and it just goes away and it's accepted."

We'll find out one way or the other when live-action *Moana* premieres in theaters this July 10.

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