Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who voiced the demigod Maui in Disney’s 2016 animated hit Moana, has shared a sneak peek of the upcoming live-action adaptation, currently being filmed at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, Georgia.

Johnson posted behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse into the production and a special tradition he brings to his film sets.

The star highlighted his “$5 Dollar Friday” custom, where crew members contribute $5 each and enter a raffle, with their names placed in a bucket. At the end of the day, Johnson draws winners who receive the cash prize, which he often doubles. For the final day of production on the sound stages, Johnson made the pot especially memorable.

“I doubled the pot twice, and as a final surprise, added another $50,000,” Johnson wrote. “At the end of the day, our crews are the backbone of Hollywood, and these hard-working, insanely talented guys and gals are my family. I’d do anything for them. This is just my small way of saying THANK YOU.”

Johnson’s production company, Seven Bucks Productions, takes its name from the $7 he had in his pocket after being cut from the Canadian Football League in 1995.

The new live-action Moana stars 17-year-old Catherine Laga‘aia as the title character, Moana, a young woman on a mission to save her people. Laga‘aia, who hails from Sydney, Australia, expressed her excitement about the role, sharing her pride in representing her Samoan heritage.

“My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa,” Laga‘aia said. “I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.”

Directed by Thomas Kail with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Moana is set to hit theaters on July 10, 2026. Production began in August, which Johnson announced on social media, saying, “It’s our deepest honor to share the legends, songs, dances, and traditions of our Polynesian culture with all of you and your families around the world.”

Johnson has offered his support to the community in the wake of the recent Apalachee High School tragedy. Following a mass shooting that shook the school on September 4, Johnson took time to meet with the Apalachee High School football team, sharing a powerful message of resilience.

“I brought the Apalachee football team in close here to break us down… ‘Apalachee Strong on three… One, two, three… APALACHEE STRONG,’” Johnson wrote on Instagram. As students and staff returned to school, he shared words of encouragement, emphasizing that their journey forward is what will truly define them. “It’s not the actual event itself that happened…that will define them for the rest of their lives—it’s how they respond to it,” Johnson added.

With his words, Johnson reminded the students of Apalachee High School that their strength and resilience will guide their healing, saying, “We are one Apalachee.”

Ahead of the live-action release, Disney will debut Moana’s animated sequel on Nov. 29, 2024. The follow-up film reunites Moana (voiced by Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voiced by Johnson) as they embark on a new adventure, navigating the uncharted seas of Oceania after Moana receives an unexpected call from her ancestors.