You might knowรย Nicole Scherzinger as the former lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, or as the winner of the 10th season of Dancing with the Stars… she’s alsoรย a judge on the UK’sรย The X Factor, and recently performed in Cats on the West End.
With a career in entertainment spanning 13 years, it was almost surprising to find out that Moana was the first animated filmรย thatรย Nicole has voiced a character forรขโฌโ she’s the voice of รขโฌลSinaรขโฌย (Moana’s mother).
While in Los Angeles for the #MoanaEvent, I was able to interview Nicole , who was as down-to-Earth and friendly (and funny!) as they come. She chatted about her career in music and theater, and why she felt she had to play a part in the film. Here are a few highlights from the interview.
Tell us why you wanted to be a part of this project.
I didnรขโฌโขt want to be a part of the projectรขโฌโ I felt I had to be a part of the project. And thatรขโฌโขs because Iรขโฌโขm from Hawaiian descent, and I knew the movie was going to be about the Polynesian people. Plus, I didnรขโฌโขt want to go back home and hear from family, how come youรขโฌโขre not in Moana? [LAUGHTER]
Itรขโฌโขs the story of our people. Where we come from. And Iรขโฌโขm just so proud that Disney did right by us, and stayed true to our culture, where we come from, and told a beautiful story about a young girl.
It wasnรขโฌโขt a love story. It was a heroine story about a young girlรขโฌโขs journey, which we can all relate to, about discovering who we really are and what weรขโฌโขre meant for. I have the honor of playing Moanaรขโฌโขs mother, Sina.
In terms of your character, Sina, was there a certain thing that you brought to the character?
It was interesting because in the script they had a couple different readings, like different ways they wanted to get the story across. Especially the part where sheรขโฌโขs trying to explain to her daughter that you canรขโฌโขt go beyond the reef. Trying to explain, your fatherรขโฌโขs been there and heรขโฌโขs had a great loss and heรขโฌโขs just trying to protect you.
And I think she says a lineรขโฌโ She says, Moana, sometimes who you want to be – itรขโฌโขs not meant to be. When I thought of that line I really thought of my mother and my tutu and how, Iรขโฌโขm sure they had their own dreams. Sometimes you have to look past yourself.
Youรขโฌโขve done a lot of live performances between music theater. How is this in comparison?
The stage is my favorite place to be, really musical theater is. I just finished doing Cats a year ago in the West End and I was supposed to be doing it on Broadway. I want go back to the theater when the time is right. But, I do love being in the recording studio and touring as well. Doing this movie was such a new experience for me because Iรขโฌโขve never been an animated character.
And when youรขโฌโขre acting, youรขโฌโขre not acting with other actors or characters, youรขโฌโขre acting with another person giving you the lines. And you have to just imagine everything. To be so creative in your head. And they show you these sketched out drawings of your character in the scene. And everything looks penciled inรขโฌโ And you just have to close your eyes and put yourself there and be extra animated. I probably looked crazy when I was doing it.
Moana is Now Playing in Theaters Nationwide!
Special thanks to Disney Pictures for hosting me during this event.
