Nicole Scherzinger Interview for Disney Moana
Now that Disney's Moana is playing in theaters, I hope you've seem it (at least 2 times!). Today I'm sharing the interview with Nicole Scherzinger (voice of “Sina” mom of Moana) done while I was in L.A for the #MoanaEvent. In the interview Nicole shares how the role really touched her.
Note: Disney and ABC TV invited me on this all expense paid trip to Los Angeles for the Moana Event and ABC TV Event. While I will share different events and activities during the trip, any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.
Since Sina plays such an important and supportive role for Moana, I wanted to ask Nicole
In terms of your character, Sina, was there certain view points you brought more into the character from your personal experiences?
Definitely anything that I do, I think artists do, you draw from personal connection.
It was interesting because in the script they had a couple different ways they wanted to get the story across. Especially the part where she’s trying to explain to her daughter (Moana), that she can’t go on the reef. Trying to explain, her father’s been there and he’s had a great loss so he’s just trying to protect her.
And I think she says a line like "Moana, sometimes who you are or who you want to be, it’s not meant to be."
And I drew from that experience and I drew from my mother. I know that my mom and my tutu and all the women in my family have sacrificed everything for their children. They’re just selfless. That’s just who the women in my family are. And when I thought of that line, I really thought I’m sure they had their own dreams. And their own aspirations.
I was like how do I turn this into a positive? ‘Cause she's saying it’s not meant to be. And I felt that it was a bit negative, you know, ‘cause we’re always like, no, you can do it. You can achieve it. Which is why she actually lets her go in the end.
So it was like how can I make this make sense to me? And it was just kinda like speaking from experience. Sometimes you have to look past yourself.
There's a scene in Moana about picking a personal spirit animal, so I asked Nicole which animal she'd choose
I used to call myself a "bish". That was a bird and a fish. But now I wanna be called a lesh maybe. Or lurd. Trying to make it up. I think of myself as like a lioness, too. Like I love a lion. A lion and either a bird or a fish.
On why she wanted to have a part in Moana, Nicole shared
I felt I had to be a part of the project, and that’s because I’m from Hawaiian descent. I knew that the movie was gonna be about the Polynesian people. And, I don’t think Disney ever really did a film like that. I know they touched upon it in Lilo and Stitch, but my family were like, no, that’s the fake kind. Plus I didn’t wanna go back home and hear from family "how come you’re not in Moana?".
So because of that and it’s the story of our people. Where we come from. And I’m just so proud that Disney did right by us. By the Polynesian people. And stayed true to our culture, where we come from, our power, our people, our lifeline and just told a beautiful story about a young girl.
It wasn’t a love story, it was a heroine story about a young girl’s journey, which we can all relate to. You know, discovering who we really are and what we’re meant for. What our purpose and our destiny is. And that’s a beautiful story.
About live performances versus voicing in a booth, Nicole shared
So the stage is my favorite place to be. Really musical theater is. But but I do love being in the recording studio as well I love touring. Doing this movie was such a new experience for me because I’ve never been an animated character.
And when you’re acting, you’re acting to not the other actor or the character, you’re acting with just a person giving you the lines. And so you have to just imagine everything. To be so creative in your head.
And they show you these sketched out drawings of your character in the scene. Everything looks penciled in. And you just have to kinda close your eyes and put yourself there and be extra animated.
I thought it was hilarious because they have cameras all throughout the whole recording studio, because it makes sense, you know.
Because they see all the different expressions of your face and try to incorporate it into the character to bring it to life as you. So you have that going on.
Speaking of live performances....
...after our interview, the group joined Nicole to film a mini video clip which was featured by Disney Animation. How cool is that!
Nicole was so fun to interview. You could just feel the love she has for her family, culture, and this role as Sina. Make sure you feel the love by seeing Disney's Moana while it's in theaters!
MOVIE SYNOPSIS
From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people.
During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) meets the mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder.
Together, they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds, and along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she’s always sought: her own identity.
Voice Cast: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Jemaine Clement, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk.
Directed by: Ron Clements and John Musker
Produced by: Osnat Shurer
Featuring music by: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa‘i
Visit the official MOANA website - www.movies.disney.com/moana
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