The lead character of Moana, Walt Disney's animated feature set for 2016, will be played by 14-year-old Auli’I Cravalho of Mililani, Hawaii, the entertainment giant confirmed Thursday.
"When I first heard that there was going to be an audition to potentially play the role of Moana, I thought there’s no way that could be me," Auli'l said in a Walt Disney media video.
The story is set 3,000 years ago in the South Pacific where the heroine embarks upon a voyage across the oceans to fulfil a request from her ancestors and encounters everything from mythical creatures to the demi-god Maui.
Actor and former wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who will play the voice of Maui, said he was ecstatic to have her on board the production, especially because she could have remained undiscovered.
Moana is Walt Disney's first ever princess from the South Pacific.
Moana is set for Australian release December 26, 2016.
