Hualālai Chung Talks About The Purpose Behind His Music Career And His Role In ‘Moana 2’

The newest Disney star!

After noticeable roles in ‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ and ‘Rescue: Hi Surf’, actor and music artist Hualālai Chung has began his Disney journey via voice acting. Specifically, he voices wayfinding crew member Moni in ‘Moana 2’.

We had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Hualālai about his all-time favorite Disney film, authentic storytelling, and more!

When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue a career in acting?

H: “I was blessed to grow up in the local entertainment industry. My dad was a long-time actor here on many of the large productions that came through Hawaiʻi, and my mom is also very versed in performing arts and modeling. Ironically, although I grew up immersed in this, it wasnʻt until during the return from the Covid pandemic that I actually saw it out to pursue acting and VO work myself. After my first few opportunities, I was hooked to the practice and element of storytelling in such a way.”

Congratulations on your role in Moana 2! What has this experiencing working with Disney been like?

H: “Mahalo nūnui! It was an amazing experience. Growing up and even to today, I am such a huge Disney fan. I have always loved the messaging behind Disney movies and the story of Walt Disney. The entire team is so passionate about what they do and how they can push to make things as best as they can. It was effortless to grow the relationship with our entire cast and crew and I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with Disney in that capacity!”

We hear you are a massive Disney fan in general, so we have to ask, what is your all-time favorite Disney movie (and you can’t choose Moana 2!)?

H: “Ooooo. That’s definitely a difficult one, but I have to say Hunchback is my number one, but Tarzan comes in at a close second. I love the movies that have real storylines like that, but love the Tarzan soundtrack above almost all!”

Despite releasing in the end of 2024, Moana 2 quickly soared to one of the most successful films from that year, celebrated for its diversity and culture. How important do you consider representation to be in the entertainment industry, especially when it comes to Polynesian representation?

H: “I think it is a very important component of authentic storytelling to have representation be vibrant and a major consideration. I also applaud actors and talent in the industry that get fully invested and immersed in other cultures and environments to play a role. All-in-all, I think it is most important to respect the storyline to the fullest and to honor it by featuring cast that truly represent the story, and for the cast members to represent the storyline as best as they can.”
 
If you had to choose, which do you personally prefer, working in front of the camera or doing voice acting work?

H: “I think they both have great dynamics and, in my experiences, I’ve loved each environment in different ways. I love the idea of being in live action roles where I can better relate to the masses, but love the opportunity that animation and VO brings to make characters and stories larger than life!”

You are a musician as well, and started off 2025 with ‘Let Go’ (which is an amazing single!). Tell us about how that single came to be.

H: “First off, thank you so much for the support of my music! Overall, I want my music to be a resource for those to feel comfort or to feel seen. The song came from seeing so many devastating things happening in the world in the past few years, both globally and in my own personal life. At least for me, I found that I can be my own worst enemy, that I let my anger and fear keep me from attempting and vying for resolution. So for me at least, my big first step in growth and moving forward would be to “let go” of the pain and hurt, allowing me to move forward in a way that is fruitful and intentional for positive growth and positive resolution. I learned that a lot about myself in this past year and figured that in writing this song, maybe I could connect with others who feel the same and encourage them to not let themselves be their biggest hindering factor.”
 
Can you tease if you’ve got more music on the horizon and what fans can expect from it?

H: “Oh definitely. I have been bit and infected by the song writing bug and hope to continue writing music that people can enjoy and relate to. I am lucky to grow up in Hawaiʻi where we have so many cultural influences. So not to give it away too much, but I have some music coming out that should touch on different genres and feels that all kinds of audiences will like.”

Where can we follow your amazing journey?

H: “Feel free to follow my journey on Facebook, as well as Instagram and Threads at @mr.hualalai! Mahalo!!!”

Make sure to stream ‘Moana 2’, available to watch now on Disney+!

Photo Credit: Simone Komine

Je’Kayla Crawford– Founder and Director– Je’Kayla has been a journalist for years and decided to start a publication of her own, New Scene Magazine, back in October 2020. When not helping her team and working on their print issues, you can find her watching a movie on Netflix or baking using a viral TikTok recipe.