Auli'i Cravalho Weighs In on 'Moana' Halloween Costumes & Cultural Appropriation

Every Halloween season there’s definitely a few costumes that are deemed culturally inappropriate – however, Moana shouldn’t be one of them, according to Auli’i Cravalho.

The 17-year-old actress, who voiced the Polynesian heroine in the animated movie, chatted with People about the issue.

“I think it’s absolutely appropriate,” Auli’i shared. “It’s done in the spirit of love and for Disney and for the little ones who just want to dress up as their favorite heroine, I’m all for it.”

She continued, “I would encourage anyone who wants to dress up as a wayfinder who journeys beyond her reef to figure out who she truly is, I totally support you. Go for it! Parents can dress up as Moana, too.”

Auli’i adds that Moana speaks to young children of all backgrounds, just like her Disney Princess predecessors before her: “I think each of the Disney princesses are just pretty reflective of their time. This day in age, we definitely need a heroine who is the hero of her own story, who journeys beyond what her parents have done, who breaks the mold.”

“That’s what we need right now and hopefully what we will continue to see later on, but there’s still things to be learned from other Disney princesses that we’ve come from. It’s just like our parents: We’re not like our parents and yet we can see the similarities and differences. We can always be grateful for what we’ve learned from.”