'Moana' star Auli'i Cravalho lights up Oscars rehearsal stage
LOS ANGELES — The actress who voices the heroine in Disney's animated Moana is about to have a major public unveiling on Sunday's Academy Awards.
Judging how Auli'i Cravalho, 16, performed during Oscar rehearsals Friday night, this introduction is going to be a big hit.
Cravalho, who was 14 when she was cast to voice Moana alongside demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) in the box office hit, sang the Oscar-nominated song How Far I'll Go on the Oscar stage with a full orchestra backing.
Nominated songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda's beaming smile from the side of the stage said everything about Cravalho's performance.
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The Hawaiian-born actress wore a shoulder-less flower-patterned top with blue jeans and showed no signs of rookie nerves as she belted out the soaring number with hands raised. The song features dancers waving sails at such speeds that the resulting wind dramatically blew Cravalho's hair.
After nailing the final notes of her first rehearsal for the song, Cravalho boxed the air dramatically with both fists to signify her own pleasure while theater onlookers, surprised by the onslaught of vocal chops, jumped to their feet in a standing ovation.
After several other versions, Cravalho made clear she was ready for Sunday's performance, while Miranda strolled onto the stage and pointed triumphantly to the singer.
Miranda flew in from London where he's shooting Mary Poppins Returns. The Hamilton creator also worked the microphone, making up songs. "It's a wonderful life for Oscar, Oscar, Oscar. Who will win?" Miranda sang at one point.
During another down moment on stage, Miranda paid his respects to the musical La La Land, singing a few bars from the Oscar-nominated song City of Stars.
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La La Land had its turn on the rehearsal stage Friday, as John Legend has been tasked to sing a special version of the film's two nominated songs, City of Stars and Audition (The Fools Who Dream).
Legend stars in the film, but the songs are sung onscreen by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone respectively.
Wearing a black jacket, black jeans and black sneakers, Legend walked coolly onto the rehearsal stage, surrounded by a dramatic sundown set covered with street lamps and dancers. Legend immediately began tickling the ivories of a black grand piano.
"Hello, dancers," Legend announced, before breaking into the first version of the song. When it was over, twice-nominated songwriter Justin Hurwitz immediately jumped onto the stage and gave notes over Legend's shoulder while La La Land choreographer Mandy Moore worked with the dancers.
There were rehearsal-like missteps — "Ah, I forgot that chord," a smiling Legend said after a miscue. "It's really cool to mess up onstage."
But after five times through the number, Legend had worked out the kinks The singer kicked up his foot as he hit the final notes of Audition. Hurwitz looked on pleased.
"The only reason John missed a chord was because I had gone up and told him to re-voice a chord which he had not practiced," said Hurwitz. "He has a spectacular voice. Hearing a new vocal interpretation of these songs is so exciting. He's going to work on it for the next couple of days and it's going to be a really powerful performance on Sunday night."
Jimmy Kimmel hosts Sunday's Academy Awards (ABC, 7 p.m. ET/4 PT).
