Auliʻi Cravalho Talks New Disney Channel Series ‘Hailey’s On It’ & Live-Action ‘Moana’ Remake

If you were one of those kids who grew up watching Disney Channel classics like Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, and Lilo & Stitch: The Series in the early-to-mid 2000s, then you’re going to absolutely love the Mouse House’s latest animated offering — Hailey’s On It! (you can stream the first seven episodes on Disney+).

Created by Devin Bunje and Nick Stanton, the new series follows Hailey Banks (Moana’s Auliʻi Cravalho), a vivacious 14-year-old who doesn’t like to take any sort of risks. All of that changes one night when a scientist from the future (Rick and Morty’s Sarah Chalke) arrives with the news that Hailey will one day solve the looming climate crisis, but only if she completes every item on her bucket list.

Teaming up with her best friend, Scott Denoga (Top Gun: Maverick’s Manny Jacinto) — whom she must kiss at some point — and a cuddly AI named Beta (Malcolm in the Middle’s Gary Anthony Williams), Hailey slowly comes out of her shell, lives life to the fullest, and fends off unseen forces of the future hellbent on preventing her from completing the list.

Clever, heartfelt, and packed with unforgettable music you’ll be humming to yourself in the shower long after the credits roll, Hailey’s On It! is more than worthy to stand alongside the beloved shows associated with Disney Channel’s halcyon days. Trust me, it’s really that good. I recently caught up with Ms. Cravalho to learn more about the project and the upcoming live-action remake of Moana.

What first attracted you to the series?

I’ve been really lucky in my voiceover career that I’ve gotten to play characters who are brave and speak their mind and aren’t afraid to take risks. So when I was introduced to Hailey, I was like, ‘Ahhh, I see you!’ I loved the humor that our show has. I also felt, as you did, that it’s reminiscent of those earlier Disney animated shows. I enjoy the humor, but there’s also a beautiful moral of being brave and trusting in yourself and relying on your friends and family.

And then there’ also the musical part of our series, which is so fun. I love our pop anthems and our raps about hats and things that comes in later in the series. I also really enjoy the sci-fi aspect. It’s very cerebral — Hailey is battling Chaos Bots and trying to save the future of the Earth. All in all, it was like, “Oh, this checks off every box I didn’t know I had.”

Are you super risk-averse in real-life?

Well, Hailey Banks is 14 in our series, so if I think of 14-year-old Auliʻi, I definitely wasn’t taking really big risks. Some of Hailey’s list items that I can remember are ‘Play the glockenspiel,’ ‘Get a crazy haircut (spike her hair and dye it bright neon)’, and ‘Kiss her best friend, Scott.’ I think some of her list items are relatable and some of them are a little crazy. But I myself have my own bucket list that I want to get through. I want to adopt at least three or four more cats. I also want to go to college.

I think the series is really relatable because we all have these dreams and these aspirations and it reminds us that we just have to take little baby steps to get there. And it feels really good to achieve these milestones. So I would say Hailey and I have a lot in common. We’re both happy to nerd and geek out about the things that we love. We’re also very passionate and we both really want to save the Earth.

What were some of the conversations you had with Nick and Devin?

They’re in every single session with me. We’re constantly going back and forth on 700 different ways that we can say one line. They’re incredibly collaborative and something that’s unique to these quicker, episodic animated series is that I get to play Hailey, but I also get to play some of these other side characters or a different version of Hailey. They allow me, as an actor, to branch out and get quirky and strange with my voice, which I really appreciate.

What was the experience of getting to explore your own background as a Pacific Islander through this character?

It makes me so happy. I really love that Hailey is a young woman of color, going after her dreams and our crew — the voice actors and our writers — is all diverse, people of different backgrounds. My dad is played by Cooper Andrews, my mom is Julie Bowen, my best friend is Manny Jacinto. It makes me really happy to see my heritage and Filipino last names [represented]. These are small, but significant milestones that I’m certain other people watching our series will notice.

What can we expect from the rest of the season?

There is much to enjoy. Again, praise to our writers. They truly challenged me and also gave adult audiences something to enjoy [too]. Because truthfully, a lot of parents will be watching this with their kids. I put on a Transatlantic accent [at one point], we tip our hat to Seinfeld and different sitcoms. We have a lot of different styles, which I think keeps our show really fresh. And Hailey has a really long list of things she needs to do, so there’s a lot of enjoy.

Would you say the voiceover process for television is significantly different than voiceover work on film?

I see significant differences. In an animated film, we have an hour-and-a-half to tell our entire story. To have our setup, to hit the climax, to get to the dark side of the soul, and then the resolution. In an animated series, you have 20 minutes and it’s really fun to play all of the beats and emotions and comedy one after another.

You mentioned the musical aspect earlier. Can you elaborate on the different songs we’ll get to hear throughout the series?

[Composers] Matthew [Tishler] and Andrew [Underberg] are always with me when I’m recording and like they’re really masterful at hitting the comedic elements while still telling the story. The song that comes to my mind is about fish skin … [and] they made that sound so cool. I’ve always loved when a character can just burst into song, the little theater kid in me just jumps for joy.

What do you think a meeting between Hailey and Moana would be like?

Oh, what a great question! [They’re] like president and VP, you know what I mean? There’s nothing that they can’t do. I think that they would also have ocean and land conservation as some of their top issues. I would vote for them.

Tell me about the live-action Moana remake. What excites you most about the project?

I’m an executive producer on the film, which really excites me. In the way that Moana was my first project as an actor, now to come back around and really be in the room where it happens and to be in these rooms of power and speak my mind and have a say in the project… tears prick my eyes every time I talk about this because I want it to feel the same way it did when I was working on it and when it came out.

I am so excited that Moana’s universe keeps expanding. We have our original 2016 film, we have a Moana animated series that we’re working on, and now a live-action version as well. I know how important this character and story is to not only me, but to my community and to a whole generation of young people who see her stand up for herself [and] go far beyond the reef to venture to new lands and experience all that life and the world has to offer. I’m excited for all the iterations and to see even more people dress up as Moana and Maui Halloween. It’s just a gift that keeps on giving.

What would be your biggest piece of advice to the actor who is ultimately chosen to play the character in live-action?

Be true to yourself. I think the best work comes when you are confident and when you truly believe in the words that you are saying. I look forward to meeting the young Pacific Islander who will take her far.

Episodes 1-7 of Hailey’s One It! are now on Disney+. New episodes will air every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET on Disney Channel and Disney XD before making their way to streaming the next day.

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity