When Auli'i Cravalho was cast in Disney's "Moana," the teen and her mom were living on food stamps. Cravalho, who voices the titular chieftan's daughter in "Moana," said in a recent interview with "People" that the pair were squeezed into a one-bedroom apartment in the Hawaiian city of Mililani when she got her big break.

But something that I wasn’t expecting to appreciate so much about Moana 2 is getting the chance to see the animated character grow and mature. When CinemaBlend spoke to the princess’s voice actress, Auli’i Cravalho,

Auli’i Cravalho’s breakout role as "Moana" was a transformative moment for both her budding career and her family’s journey.

Moana' and 'Moana 2' star Auliʻi Cravalho tells PEOPLE that she bought her mother, Puanani, a house after the Polynesian-inspired Disney movie changed the Hawaii native's life overnight: 'She's happil

Moana 2 star Auli’i Cravalho has revealed she bought her mom a house after the first film in the franchise aired in 2016. The 24-year-old, who rose to fame as the voice of the Polynesian chieftess in the Walt Disney animated movie, opened up about how she’s thanked her family for their support amid her success.

Auliʻi Cravalho reflects on what "Moana" has meant to her, and how she continues to try and challenge herself in other roles

The 24-year-old actress can simultaneously be seen on Broadway as Sally Bowles and on-screen reprising her animated Disney princess.

Moana star Auli’i Cravalho paid her family forward for supporting her in her rise to fame.

Auli'i Cravalho’s role as Moana not only launched her acting career but also changed her and her family’s lives. The actress, 24, opened up about her childhood in an interview with People published on Saturday,