Next summer, the live-action version of “Moana” is expected to premiere in theaters, generating significant excitement as a highly anticipated blockbuster. This follows the record-breaking success of the live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch,” which has surpassed $1 billion at the global box office. Dwayne Johnson, star of “Moana” as Maui, will reprise his role in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the cherished Disney film. However, not all cast members from the original production are so fortunate to return. One of the underrated actors from “Moana” has sadly announced they won’t be part of the live-action movie, despite being a well-respected voiceover actor in the industry.
In an interview with Gold Derby, Alan Tudyk revealed that he won’t reprise his role as Heihei, Moana’s lively rooster companion, in the live-action version of the movie. It’s not unusual for actors to be replaced when a property changes formats – Catherine Laga’aia is taking over from Auli’i Cravalho as Moana due to Cravalho being too old to play the character now – but it’s surprising that Tudyk won’t voice Heihei, a character primarily made of CGI.
Why Hehei Is Being Recast in the Live-Action Moana Remake
The change in casting Heihei is due to a frequent misunderstanding among fans, as they often mistake him for a chicken instead of a rooster. As Jonathan Tudyk put it, “It’s high time we had an actress bring a touch more ‘hen’ to the hen.” The actor emphasized that director Thomas Kail has chosen a female voice talent for Moana’s bird companion, Heihei.
Tudyk made it clear to Gold Derby that he holds no grudge against Disney for not casting him in the live-action Moana. He explained, ‘I’m all about Disney animation.’ Tudyk has lent his voice to numerous characters across various Disney productions, such as Frozen, Encanto, Zootopia, Raya and the Last Dragon, Big Hero 6, and more. ‘They keep offering me roles,’ he said, ‘so I’ll continue to accept them!’
It’s possible that Alan Tudyk, given his current busy schedule, might not have been available to reprise Heihei for the new Moana. He just finished working on the Syfy series Resident Alien and voiced Superman Robot #4 in James Gunn’s film, as well as earning an Emmy nomination for his role as the reprogrammed Imperial security droid K-2SO in Star Wars: Andor, where he both provided voice-over and on-set performance.
Although we were disappointed that Alan Tudyk wouldn’t reprise his role in Moana, he expressed some relief as the part was passed on to someone else because it would probably involve motion-capture (mo-cap), which can be demanding physically. In a humorous way, Tudyk referenced his experience with mo-cap from playing Krypto in Superman when a young girl named Murphy Reed was jumping around on her knees in a mo-cap suit. He joked about worrying for her knees and declared he wouldn’t do motion-capture for animals anymore. Given that Heihei, the character Tudyk might have portrayed, has a tendency to jump off Moana’s boat, his decision seems wise.
https://comicbook.com/movies/news/every-disney-live-action-remake-ranked-lilo-and-stitch/embed/#
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2025-08-16 00:21