Lin-Manuel Miranda Centers Pacific Culture in New Moana Film

Lin-Manuel Miranda is composing music for Disney’s live-action adaptation of Moana, a project he feels carries greater responsibility than the original animated film. Miranda emphasizes the importance of authentic representation of Pacific Islander culture, noting the opportunity to showcase hundreds of Pacific Islanders on screen portraying their heritage.

He describes a collaborative process with Opetaia Foa’i, a co-writer who brings deep cultural knowledge to the project. Miranda connects this work to his earlier musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, which aimed to expand representation beyond stereotypical roles.

He recalls starting his career with a desire to create stories for performers who weren’t being seen on stage, specifically those of Latin American descent. The composer shared that his children serve as a gauge for his work, when his youngest son began humming a song from the film, Miranda knew he had a strong piece. The film, now playing in Venezuela, draws heavily on Polynesian mythology and wayfinding traditions.