‘Ohana clearly means a lot to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in terms of his relationship with Disney. Not only has he embraced the role of Maui in Moana and its sequel (both streamable with a Disney+ subscription), but he’ll be reprising the iconic demigod in the upcoming live-action Disney remake. Ahead of that film's release, though the former wrestler congratulated the Lilo & Stitch remake on its box office success.
Disney’s live-action remakes have had varied performances as of late. Mufasa surpassed Sonic the Hedgehog 3 during its box office run, though it received mixed reviews. Snow White also received middling reactions and struggled hard at the box office. However, Lilo & Stitch has crushed at the box office during Memorial Day weekend, nabbing over $145 million domestically.
Even before those final figures came in, tracking numbers looked good, which is what likely prompted The Rock to share the following message on Instagram:
The ONLY person - or thing? - that Maui will allow to hold his hook 🪝😜 🐨 👽 🤙🏾 A grateful congrats 👏🏾👏🏾🙏🏾 to our LILO & STITCH ohana for their record breaking weekend at the box office - you all have worked so hard to deliver for the fans, and proudly you have. The continuing embrace of our Polynesian culture around the world has been so humbling to feel and witness. The mana is real. Congrats fam and huge mahalo to everyone enjoying the movie this weekend in theaters.
I’m sure it means a whole lot for Dwayne Johnson to see another Disney movie that embraces Polynesian culture achieve box office success. Lilo & Stitch, which marks the return of one of the best pets in Hollywood history, seems to be striking a chord with a new generation of viewers and possibly even those who grew up on the 2002 film on which it's based. The 2025 movie release's run is only just beginning, but it's off to a stellar start!
The Rock's connection to Polynesian culture comes from his mother, who is of Samoan heritage. His maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, was known as the “High Chief” in Samoan wrestling. All in all, Johnson seems to have embraced his roots. He’s even got a Samoan Pe’a tattoo on his left side that tells the story of his ancestry and he and wife Lauren Hasian had a secret wedding in Hawaii in 2019.
Hawaii also seems to play a role in Dwayne Johnson’s work. The actor previously said getting to film Jumanji in Hawaii was important to him, as it gave him a chance to connect further with his Polynesian culture.
Johnson's role as Maui has been impactful for him as well. While discussing the role, he's talked about providing authentic Polynesian representation, touching families around the world in the process. If the Moana remake can channel the culture as well, it could possibly reinforce the importance of telling diverse stories that will inspire audiences across the globe. See Johnson’s full Instagram post below:
Maui may be used to saying “You’re welcome,” but Lilo & Stitch’s box office success just got “a grateful congrats” from Dwayne Johnson. I love seeing the A-lister give props to the newly released film, which you can see in theaters now. Also, check out The Rock as a live-action Maui when the live-action Moana remake hits theaters on July 10, 2026.
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