Though the 2026 movie schedule has already had its share of blockbusters, audiences are going to be able to watch a wealth of big-budget spectacles this summer. One such probable hit is the live-action Moana, starring newcomer Catherine Laga‘aia, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his popular role as Maui. When he agreed to take his part from the animated classic to live action, however, I doubt he thought there’d be as much talk about his Maui wig as there has been, and now Weird Al just made the very unexpected move of trolling him over it.
What Weird Al Said About Dwayne Johnson’s Live Action Moana Maui Wig
There is no shortage of upcoming Disney movies on the docket, and one that’s had people talking is the live action remake of the 2016 hit, Moana. Many fans were impressed with the first teaser, which dropped in November, but there were also a lot of viewers who threw a side eye at the wig Dwayne Johnson (who recently wrapped Jumanji 4) is sporting to play Maui. I’m guessing that one of those people was musical parody king "Weird Al" Yankovic, as he recently took a rather random shot at the star’s look in the new film, after the full trailer debuted. Observe:
OK, Al! Talk about brutal! Look, he’s not wrong that the wig is somewhat Weird Al-adjacent. We all know that if a Weird Al biopic sequel is on tap, the only person who should play him would be a returning Daniel Radcliffe. However, I now can’t get over the idea of Johnson in his Moana Maui wig as maybe a version of Al in, say, a dream sequence being had by Radcliffe’s version of the five-time Grammy winner. What’s that you say? You think that idea is confusing? Guys, it doesn’t have to make sense to be funny!
Article continues belowAt any rate, while the singer is known for his curls, as is the animated demigod, Johnson, uh… isn’t. And, this is likely one thing that has really thrown fans off when it comes to him portraying Maui in the flesh. We just aren’t used to seeing him with a mane of free-flowing locks, folks. But, you can rest assured that the team behind Moana did take care when creating Maui’s follicular fortitude in the upcoming film.
What’s The Deal With Dwayne Johnson’s Live Action Moana Maui Wig?
Obviously, Moana has real importance when it comes to showcasing Polynesian culture in a fun way, and while I don’t think the hair will take away from that, it certainly has been a topic of conversation since we got the teaser. We’ve now gotten an even better look at it with the release of the first full trailer, and director Thomas Kail spoke to Entertainment Weekly about how important the wig was, because part of Maui’s “spiritual energy” is about his looks, which includes that gorgeous head of hair. As Kail said of the wig:
We knew that it had to be something that could have real lift to it. Because you're doing this on the water, 'what does it look like wet?' is a real conversation when you're making Moana. That one weighs seven pounds more with all the water in it for all those hours a day.
Johnson revealed in the same article that, all told, he had “an additional 40 pounds” of prosthetics and hair to deal with while performing, which is wild. Honestly, I think all we need to do is just watch that trailer a few more times, and we’ll get used to seeing the wrestler-turned-actor in his new, relatively hirsute, form. Weird Al’s thoughts on the wig, though, will never cease to be funny.
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