With the live-action remake of the 2002 animated film Lilo & Stitch set to premiere in cinemas in May, Hualālai Chung will be seen in the Disney release as an Animal Control Worker, with his scenes being shot in his Hawaiian hometown, and the film stars Maia Kealoha as Lilo. For his first major voiceover character, Hualālai voiced Moni in Moana 2 and also recorded the song What Can Be Better Than This? for the soundtrack, and he attended the world premiere in Hawaii with fellow cast members Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson. As a music artist, Hualālai has released two singles – his debut single Love to Love, which he collaborated on with Johnny Suite, and his second single Let Go, for which he also released a music video. Hualālai answered our questions about filming for the upcoming live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, voicing Moni in Moana 2 and his music releases – Love to Love and Let Go.
In May, you will be seen in the live-action feature film Lilo & Stitch as an Animal Control Worker, how did you find the experience on set of the film?
This film was a lot of fun to work on, especially because our scenes were shot right in my hometown on O’ahu. It was a similar experience to working in animation, where the idea of Stitch as a character had to be imagined and mentally sustained through the scene. I was also lucky to share the scene with a friend of mine, which made the whole day fun and comfortable.
How did you feel finding out you’d be joining the live-action remake, and how much did you know about the original 2002 animated film before auditioning?
As with every opportunity, I am always grateful to be part of the extensively talented team that gets to portray these stories, and I always feel honoured to be considered to share in the joy that film brings to the audience. Overall, I was extremely excited because I had been a huge fan of the original animated film since I was a kid, so getting the chance to have a part in the revival of its story was a dream to me.
What are you looking forward to for the release of Lilo & Stitch on 23rd May?
I hope the world falls in love with the nostalgia of the story and even more so with Maia Kealoha, our little Lilo! It is going to be awesome to see so many familiar faces on the big screen, and I can’t wait to see my friends Sydney Agudong (Nani) and Kaipo Dudoit (David) do awesome in their roles!
How would you describe your character Moni in Moana 2 and what was he like to voice?
I always love to say Moni is everybody’s best friend. He’s warm-hearted, funny, and whimsical, not to mention an obsessive fan of Maui. I instantly connected with the character and am so grateful that our directors encouraged me to embrace my own personality in voicing Moni, so the entire experience felt so “at home”.
What was it like having Moni as your first major voiceover character, and what did you enjoy most about recording for a hugely popular Disney sequel?
It was definitely daunting finding out that I would be voicing Moni in Moana 2. The story of Moana is one that so many people cherish, so I think I felt the pressure of wanting to make sure I did right by the character and did my part in uplifting the story in our director’s vision. Nonetheless, I am grateful for my time spent with Auli’i Cravalho and our amazing directors. Their support and faith in me made me feel the most comfortable and not so hard on myself.
You also recorded a song for the soundtrack – What Could Be Better Than This? – what was this like to do?
As we all know, music is always a big part of Disney magic, so getting to sing in the film was a huge honour and something I was most excited about. Getting to work with our vocal director, Kurt Crowley, was a dream. He always made me feel welcomed and comfortable and pushed me to perform at my best! Our songwriters, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, were also a dream to work with. They knew so well how to connect with me and paint the picture of the story for me so that the character of Moni would shine bright in my singing. I am beyond grateful to have worked with all of their amazing talents.
How was it attending the world premiere in Hawaii and seeing the completed animations for the first time?
Attending the world premiere was definitely a culture shock for me, as I was considered among the likes of stars like Auli’i and Dwayne Johnson. It was overall an amazing experience to share this story among our people on our ʻāina (land) in an open-air theatre, among the elements. Getting to see the finished film was definitely an amazing and rewarding experience, but I think that seeing people emotionally connect with the film, regardless of their cultural heritage, was the most emotional experience for me. The story of Moana is so universal, and seeing so many people instantaneously connect and reverberate with it made me so emotionally happy and overwhelmed with joy.
What was it like filming episodes for Rescue: HI-Surf, NCIS: Hawai’i and Sesame Street?
Every show has been a blessing in itself. I always look forward to working with the diversity of talents, and every role and opportunity provided more chances to learn from the greats and grow in my craft. These shows each came with their own challenges for me that I was happy to take on and learn from, and all in all, I am grateful to have been given the chance to be featured on these amazing shows!
As a music artist, you have released the singles Love to Love and Let Go, can you tell us about the songs and how would you describe your music style?
Both of these songs have different musical genres and messages, which is one of the best ways to describe my style. I continue to write songs and music as a sense of emotional release for me, but I want to put content out there that people from all walks of life can connect to and resonate with. I am lucky, coming from Hawaiʻi, that we have such a diverse culture and taste for all things. That same diversity is what I have to bring to my music by not sticking to strictly one style or genre but showcasing many different styles and genres that will suit the story and song best.
How did you feel releasing your debut single Love to Love and how was it collaborating with Johnny Suite?
Love to Love was such a fun song to write and produce. I started the song’s writing process during the COVID-19 pandemic, so to see it finally come together was very fulfilling and exciting. Johnny Suite is someone I look up to in many different ways, but the biggest thing I admire about him is his heart and love for people and his commitment to his faith. He is a man who leads with love and lives in love, so it was an instant thought and desire to have him part of this song, and I could not have seen it come to fruition without him.
What did you enjoy most about recording the music video for your second single, Let Go?
I loved working with my production team and AD, Kurt Hoffman. Kurt and our entire team completely understood my vision and desires for the video and made it effortless, getting it to come out the way it did. My biggest thing was that I wanted it to look as cinematic and different as possible, and I can confidently say we achieved that and did our best to produce the final video.
How has it been seeing the response to your music releases so far, and what upcoming music plans do you have?
I am honoured that people enjoy my music, but I am more fulfilled in knowing that they resonate with the story. The best response I could ever get is for people to feel “seen” by one of my songs, and I am grateful that my music does that for people. I plan to continue writing and releasing and see what God has in store for my musical future.
Where does your love of acting and music come from, and how did you get into each?
I am blessed to come from a family of entertainers, so the entertainment business is in my blood, and it is something that I have been exposed to my whole life. Many of my family members had their acting opportunities, but my dad was one of the main ones that I grew up watching act in my early years. I fell in love with storytelling and knew that one day, I would want to do it as well. After the COVID pandemic turned life upside down, I decided to pursue any opportunities out there for me as motivation to grow, and was blessed to book all types of roles and projects locally, eventually leading to the grander television and film roles.
What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch, and music artists to listen to?
I love classic Disney movies probably the most because they remind me of my childhood with my grandparents and those simpler times. Overall, I think I am a pretty diverse pallet where I love all types of films, TV shows, and even music artists, paying no major exclusive preference to one style versus another. I appreciate the craft as a whole and now even more so look for the things I can take away and learn from every experience and viewing.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love to learn and try new things. As of late, I have been doing a lot of research and learning on home renovation tasks. As a new homeowner, there is always a project that can be done and I find joy in attempting them myself. Aside from that, I love learning new skills that support my passions, whether it be in something related to music production, digital design, business, or culture. You can always find me sitting and watching YouTube tutorials on how to do something new.
Do you have any further acting roles coming up that you can share and what are you hoping 2025 brings for you?
Nothing that I am at liberty to share just yet, but I can’t wait to share more with everyone and hope 2025 brings more opportunities and growth for us all!
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