'The Internet Did the Internet' — Dwayne Johnson Laughs Off Live-Action Moana Wig Memes

You’ve astir apt seen 1 of the memes astir Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s wig successful the live-action Moana remake. It “deserves its ain recognition successful the movie,” 1 of the memes says. “Everyone successful the Moana trailer is warring for their lives… meantime Dwayne Johnson’s wig is warring gravity, the wind, and its ain declaration obligations,” different says. Even parody vocalist Weird Al Yankovic, who has long, curly locks himself, waded in, saying: "We've told each the casting agents that the Weird Al biopic sequel is presently connected hold, but they conscionable support sending successful headshots."

Johnson, though, is taking the internet’s bully enactment successful his stride, telling Variety that the memes made him laughter “so f***ing hard.”

“They memed me,” Johnson continued. “The net did the internet. It was very, precise funny, but I was like, ‘OK, it’s alright, conscionable spot the movie.' Wait to you spot it. It’s Maui’s superpower. It’s each good.”

Johnson reprises his relation arsenic the loveable demigod for the live-action remake, with Maui’s long, flowing hairsbreadth 1 of his defining features alongside his tattoos and muscles. Johnson, of course, is bald. So, with CGI hairsbreadth a no-no, a wig was the lone option.

Despite each the attraction Johnson is getting for his Maui wig, helium has worn 1 aggregate times implicit the years for assorted characters. Only past year, Johnson wore a wig successful The Smashing Machine, successful which helium played Mark Kerr (he didn’t get rather arsenic overmuch net maltreatment for that one). And successful 2001’s The Mummy Returns, Johnson wore a long, unkempt achromatic wig for his live-action scenes arsenic the Scorpion King.

Dwayne Johnson arsenic The Scorpion King.

It wasn’t conscionable Johnson’s Maui wig that sparked online debate. The archetypal Moana trailer was called retired for its dense usage of CGI and its desaturated colors erstwhile compared to Moana's beloved archetypal animation. At the time, fans said the movie looked similar AI "slop" and a "T-Mobile commercial." Disney was reportedly alert of the backlash, but passed connected a large Sonic the Hedgehog-style originative pivot with conscionable 4 months to spell until the movie’s release.

According to Variety, Johnson went done 12 wigs to get his Maui look conscionable right. Did it wage off? IGN’s Moana reappraisal returned a 6/10. We said: “Dwayne Johnson returns arsenic Maui other newcomer Catherine Laga'aia successful this frame-by-frame retelling of the Disney animated philharmonic that doesn't bash capable to warrant being made.”

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].