Dwayne Johnson Undergoes Hair Transformation in Live-Action Moana

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What can Dwayne Johnson say except you’re welcome for his latest onscreen look? 

The new trailer for Disney’s live-action Moana revealed a dramatic hair transformation for the actor playing Maui, and fans are loving his new look.

Dwayne Johnson returns as the character he voiced in the 2016 animated movie, making a heroic entrance by single-handedly lifting a boat. Catherine Laga’aia’s character looks on with amazement.

As the camera focused on the Jumanji actor, viewers got a detailed look at his impressive demigod costume, featuring moving tattoos, a muscular build, and a striking long hairstyle.

In the trailer, Moana excitedly introduces Dwayne Johnson’s character as “Maui, the demigod of the wind and sea!”

As a huge fan, I always love hearing Maui talk about himself – and rightfully so! He just had to add to his already incredible introduction, proudly declaring, “Hero of men!” Then, realizing he shouldn’t leave anyone out, he quickly corrected himself, saying, “So it goes like this: Maui, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men… Ah! Women too. Men and women.” It’s just so him – powerful, a little boastful, but ultimately inclusive.

Fans noticed a big change in the latest look at the upcoming film: the usually clean-shaven 53-year-old actor was sporting curly hair, which was often seen blowing in the wind.

One viewer commented on the trailer’s YouTube page, saying the wig worn by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was hilarious. Another fan joked that this might be Johnson’s best role yet, simply because he’s sporting long hair instead of his usual bald head.

Disney fans will need to wait until July 10th to see Dwayne Johnson in the new film, but he’s already explained why both Moana and its sequel are worth seeing, sharing a heartwarming reason connected to being a proud father to daughters.

Dwayne Johnson believes the core message of Moana is female empowerment. He explained to TopMob News in 2024, “It’s about exploring what lies beyond what we already know.” Johnson shares four daughters: Simone, 24, with his ex-wife Dany Garcia, and Jasmine, 10, and Tiana, 6, with his wife Lauren Hashian.

The former WWE wrestler thinks this message resonates with everyone, regardless of their background or familiarity with Polynesian culture.

He explained that there’s a tendency to limit what people, particularly young girls, believe they can achieve. However, in Moana 2, the message is that you truly have limitless potential and can be anything you aspire to be.

He added of the film’s message, “Whatever it is you want to do, you can do it.”

For more celebs who underwent intense transformations for the big screen, read on… 

The British actor famously gained over 40 pounds twice for his roles in two films. First, he did it for his Oscar-nominated performance as a con artist in the 2013 movie American Hustle, and again to play former Vice President Dick Cheney in the 2018 film Vice, which also earned him an Oscar nomination.

Christian Bale famously transformed his body for roles. For his 2019 film Ford v Ferrari, he lost 70 pounds to convincingly portray the lean race car driver Ken Miles. This wasn’t the first time he’d drastically changed his weight for a movie; he also shed around 30 pounds while filming The Fighter in 2011.

For the 2020 film, makeup artist Matthew Mungle used a mold of Glenn Close’s head from the 2011 movie Albert Nobbs to create prosthetics – a new set of ears and a false nose – to help her transform into her character, Mamaw Vance, a real-life Appalachian grandmother. Close received an Oscar nomination for her performance, as reported by Variety.

To play Donald Trump, the actor reunited with the hair and makeup team who previously turned him into Tommy Lee for the 2022 series Pam & Tommy. He also gained weight to more closely resemble Trump’s build.

Okay, so Stan told me he packed on about fifteen pounds for this role, and it’s the craziest thing! He said he basically lived on instant ramen – but not just any ramen, he’d mix it with soy sauce! Apparently, his nutritionist suggested it to get his face all puffy and bloated for the part, and he washed it all down with tons of soda. I mean, can you believe it? He really committed to this!

 

To portray the famous jazz singer in the 2021 film, the actress lost nearly 40 pounds and received an Oscar nomination for her performance.

It might have seemed a little extreme that he was reportedly eating just one almond a day, as his co-star Emily Blunt playfully pointed out. But the actor was dedicated to accurately portraying the physical appearance of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist behind the atomic bomb.

I really wanted to capture Oppenheimer’s unique appearance and build in the film,” the director told The New York Times. “I lost a significant amount of weight to get closer to his physique, and we focused on the costume design to emphasize how thin he was – he was incredibly slim, practically gaunt, and lived on a diet of martinis and cigarettes.

The acclaimed actress won an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004 for her compelling and unsettling performance as Aileen Wuornos, the real-life serial killer.

To portray the troubled Arthur Fleck, later known as Batman’s enemy, the actor lost 52 pounds. He received the Best Actor Oscar in 2020 for his compelling performance.

Makeup artists spent three hours transforming the Best Actress winner with extensive makeup, including a famously large prosthetic nose, to make her completely unrecognizable for her role in the 2002 drama.

To convincingly portray an attorney with HIV suing his old company, the actor lost 35 pounds and shaved his head. He won the Best Actor Oscar in 1994 for the role, and also underwent a significant physical transformation – losing weight and growing a beard – for his Oscar-nominated performance in the 2000 film Cast Away.

Renée Zellweger famously gained weight to play Bridget Jones, but she didn’t need to change her body to portray Judy Garland in the 2019 film Judy. She won her first Oscar for the role, and the incredible transformation was all thanks to the work of the makeup and costume teams.

Renée developed a strong connection with Jany Temime, the costume designer for the film, who had previously worked on the Harry Potter movies, Vulture reported. Temime said, “It felt like Renée truly became Judy during the process.”

Renée Zellweger explained that the costumes were tailored to mimic Judy Garland’s specific way of holding herself. Because of this, Zellweger couldn’t even zip up the dresses unless she adopted Garland’s posture.

Margot Robbie transformed herself for her role as Tonya Harding in the 2017 film about the skater’s scandal. Unlike her glamorous character in The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie used prosthetics, braces, and wigs to portray Harding and bring her controversial story to the screen.

In 2014, Matthew McConaughey won the Best Actor Oscar for his dedicated performance as an electrician living with HIV/AIDS.

Heath Ledger won an Oscar after his death in 2008 for his unforgettable and captivating portrayal of The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s second Batman film. His version of the famous villain was a stark departure from previous on-screen interpretations.

Makeup artist John Caglione Jr. wondered to IGN what would happen if the character didn’t bother with his appearance. “If he slept in his makeup for a couple of weeks, or never changed clothes… those little realistic details really brought him to life.”

He explained that when you picture clown makeup, it’s usually very precise and defined. But this makeup was intentionally the opposite – messy and undefined.

The Academy Award-winning actress transformed her look to portray Brandon Teena, a real-life transgender man, in a 1999 film, and then again in Clint Eastwood’s 2004 Best Picture winner.

To transform into Winston Churchill for the role, the actor—who was nominated for Best Actor in 2018—spent more than four hours each day getting makeup applied and wore a special bodysuit similar to a Victorian corset.

To win Best Actress at the 2011 Oscars, the actress lost 20 pounds and dedicated up to 16 hours a day to preparing for her role as a ballerina struggling with mental illness.

The 2014 Best Supporting Actor winner is known for his dedication to roles, and for this part – playing a transgender woman with HIV – he lost 40 pounds and fully embodied the character only while filming.

In 2013, Leto explained to TopMob News that while he’d transformed his body for roles before, this one was unique. He felt the part required complete dedication – it wasn’t just about physical change, but how it impacted his movement, speech, identity, and emotions. He described feeling vulnerable, fragile, and insecure throughout the process.

The actress who won Best Actress physically transformed for her role, gaining 15 pounds of muscle to portray a mother escaping captivity with her 5-year-old son, Jacob Tremblay, in a 2015 film. To truly understand her character’s experience, she also isolated herself and carefully controlled her diet, even limiting nutrients like Vitamin D.

Rooney Mara received a Best Actress nomination at the 2012 Oscars for her role in the thriller. To fully become the character Lisbeth Salander, she went to extreme lengths, including getting multiple piercings, bleaching her eyebrows, and cutting her hair.

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2026-03-24 16:50