Dwayne Johnson has addressed the recent photo leaks from the upcoming live-action remake of Moana.
The film recently began filming in Hawaii ahead of its 2026 release date, with leaked photos from the set showing Johnson looking buffed up as he reprises his role as Maui from the 2016 animated hit.
The actor was asked about the leaks during a new interview with Extra TV, where he confirmed he was wearing a bodysuit to achieve Maui's demigod physique, and shared his reaction to being "caught" by the paparazzi.
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"That's a suit that took a long time to put on. So, I'm so happy you said, 'You bulked up,' because when you say, 'You bulked up,' that means you couldn't tell," he said.
"That is a couple of hours every day of transforming, putting that on. We shot outside and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, 'shit, we got caught', 'cause we were putting up walls so there was no paparazzi.
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"But they got into boats and started shooting pictures. But I'm happy you liked it. I can't wait. The movie comes out in 2026."
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Elsewhere in the interview, Johnson said that his experience playing the live-action version of Maui has been "eye-opening" compared to the animated version.
"I have a handle on who Maui is. I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration. I can access things. I got it," he shared.
"The moment I stepped on set as live-action Maui, I realized right away, ‘Oh, wow, this is different,’ in terms of this is real flesh-and-blood and skin-and-bones. It becomes real all of the sudden. It was almost like getting in my grandfather's skin and what that was like."
Moana is available to stream on Disney+ and the live-action remake is scheduled to release in 2026.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
