Like many Disney movies, the 2016 OG animated version of Moana works so well at least in part because it’s populated with many vibrant side characters. It’s not just the title star herself. So many other people in her world really pop, and that goes for the animals too. Fans especially fell in love with Moana’s pet pig Pua, and there was some grumbling back in the day that he didn’t get to go on the journey. Some expected the updated live action movie to correct that, but the loveable pig ended up staying behind in this one too.
We got a chance to interview the cast and creatives behind Moana ahead of the film’s release earlier in the year, and during our conversation with director Thomas Kail, we asked him why he kept Pua on the sidelines again. It sounds like it was an issue of space, not necessarily on the boat but from a storyline perspective. Kail and company obviously wanted to focus on Moana and Maui, and Heihei, as a confused chicken, offered a lot more comedic options to play with. Throw in the fact that Pua is a little too smart and capable of solving problems, and it was never a real consideration to bring him.
Here’s a portion of Kail’s quote…
I mean, it felt for us like it had to be, Heihei, and the two of them, until Maui comes. I mean, you can’t beat, Heihei, I mean, you just can’t beat, Heihei. And I feel like, Heihei gives you so many opportunities. ‘cause Pua is quite smart and sentient, and there’s something about, Heihei that allows for a lot of comedic opportunity. And it feels like those are great, you know, great elements for you to have to release tension, to give that humor. And then once you get Maui and the fact that this, you know, this chicken becomes Maui’s dream meal just feels like a lot of comic mileage we wanted to get.
I get it. More isn’t always more. Movies need to make careful choices about screentime because every moment on screen for one character is a moment you’re taking away from another character. Clearly the feeling from those involved was that Heihei can bring a lot more out of Maui especially than Pua would. Since ultimately, Moana and Maui are the main characters in the primary story they want to tell, it’s about advancing their story, not giving more love to a side character.
That being said, Pua is great, and it would have been nice to find a way to give us a little more from the character. I’m clearly not the only one who feels that way either. The lack of Pua was a major talking point after the first movie came out, and that sequel works to correct that. Pua is in the boat for the journey and on the poster in the second round that came out in 2024.
If you haven’t caught the live-action adaptation of Moana yet, you’re in luck. The film is available to stream on Disney+ as of today. It didn’t have quite the box office impact or get the level of positive reviews it was hoping for, but the audience scores have been quite positive. It’s worth checking out and deciding for yourself. It could have probably used a little more Pua, but it does have the right amount of Dwayne Johnson’s hair.