Moana Star Catherine Laga’aia Received Sweet Message From Auli’i Cravalho

Auli’i Cravalho happily made way for Catherine Laga’aia.

The voice of Moana made sure to welcome her live-action counterpart into the fold as Laga’aia prepared for her role in Moana—which hits theaters on July 10. 

“I had gotten an email from Auli’i, which was so special, because this is her baby,” Laga’aia exclusively shared with E! News’ Will Marfuggi during a joint interview with costar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. “This is what she made and she created.”

“So to have the tick of approval, the OK from her to be able to step into this with her full support and pride behind me,” she continued, “I felt like every piece of the puzzle had lined up for me to take this into my own and step forward with it.”

The 19-year-old had also received an equally exciting voice message from Johnson during the casting process, adding that she initially had no idea who would be calling her.