Dwayne Johnson explains why wig in Moana live-action film was important after backlash from fans

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has shut down critics who have roasted him for his wig in the upcoming Moana live-action movie.

The trailer for the new Disney movie dropped on Monday (23 March), with the 53-year-old actor reprising his role of demigod Maui in the upcoming adaptation - the same character he voiced in both the original animated film and the 2024 sequel.

Johnson will star alongside newcomer Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana, John Tui as her father Chief Tui, and Rena Owen as Moana's grandmother, Tala.

The trailer has already been viewed more than five million times, and fans have rushed to social media to share their thoughts on Disney's latest live-action, which follows in the footsteps of Lilo&Stitch, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, to name a few.

One detail that's certainly caught the attention of fans is Johnson's wig. Now, we're all, of course, used to seeing the famous actor bald, so people simply don't know what to make of seeing him with long curly hair.

Take a look for yourself here:

Others felt that the wig just didn't quite look right, as one X user brutally penned: "A multi-million dollar production spends $5 on a wig," while a second added: "They really just slapped on a wig and called it a day."

"He needs a better wig," demanded a third. Meanwhile, a fourth chimed in with: "Every time I see the rock in that Maui wig, I can't help but giggle a little bit. I'm sorry."

And a fifth brutally added: "That thing looks like it was rejected from a bad Halloween store."

Before the whole wig discourse and criticisms, the actor explained why it was 'very crucial and important,' while arguing that it was also 'cost-effective'.

He told Entertainment Weekly: "The wig was very crucial and important because, in holding onto the integrity of the character from the animated version, Maui was very proud of his hair.

The wig has caused quite the stir online (Disney)

"And he had beautiful hair, beautiful demigod hair. So that process, I would say, total, about two and a half hours every day was that transformation," which included prosthetics and his bodysuit.

The actor continued: "And there were a handful of iterations that we were looking to apply very early. What is the most cost-effective? What's the most time-effective? But ultimately, we have to go back to the main thing, which is, what's the best thing for the film and the audience's experience?"

Director Thomas Kail added: "Everybody in the world has an opinion about hair, They might not wanna talk to you about the lighting, they might not talk to you about the set construction, but they're gonna talk about what somebody's wearing, and we're gonna think deeply about what someone's hair looks like."

Speaking of why hair is specifically so important for this character, the director explained: "As a wayfinder, you can just see him on the back of the canoe with the wind blowing. So we knew that it had to be something that could have real lift to it.

Fans are used to seeing the actor bald, so the long locks came as a shock (Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images)

"You also know, because you're doing this on the water, 'what does it look like wet?' is a real conversation when you're making Moana.

"You're just constantly scrutinizing it. What are the different looks? What does it feel like when we put it up in the top knot? What does it look like if it's over to one side? What does it look like if he's in the middle of a fight? Then the hope is, like with anything else, you start watching it, and it just goes away, and it's accepted."

We'll get to see more of the wig in action when Moana live-action hits cinemas on 10 July, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the franchise and the release of the original film.