Auli'i Cravalho Once Thought That Her 'Moana' Audition Offer Was a Scam

Auli’i Cravalho might have not been the voice of Moana if things had worked out differently.

The 17-year-old actress admitted to Variety in a new interview that she and her mom actually thought the audition offer was a scam.

“My mom and I, for sure, thought it was a scam — absolutely!” she shared. “We got the email, and it was on my school email because I had submitted the audition [for a school project] and was hoping for the best for my friends and I. And I got an email back saying, ‘Hey, I have another project that I’m hoping that you’ll audition for if you’ll just come into the Hawaii Five-0 casting studio.’”

Auli’i continues, remembering “showing it to my mom and saying, ‘OK, first of all I think she used the wrong ‘your’ and I don’t know how I feel about this.’ My mom said she’d come with me and make sure everything was legit and shake hands and be professional and if anything, at least we’d know where the Hawaii Five-0 casting studio is.”

Good thing it wasn’t a scam and it ultimately led Auli’i to her breakout role, and from there, Rise.