Turns out, playing a Disney princess comes with some serious perks—and we’re not just talking about the free pineapple Dole Whip. Auliʻi Cravalho, the voice behind the iconic Moana, has leveled up in life big time, and she’s taking her mom along for the ride.
In a heartwarming chat with People, the 24-year-old actress-slash-singer revealed her ultimate flex: buying her mom, Puanani, a house. Yes, a whole house. Not a couch in the corner. Not a really fancy tent. A house.
From Food Stamps to Dream Homes
Before Moana was making waves (literally), life for Auliʻi and her mom was more “struggle bus” than “sailing yacht.” Raised on food stamps on Hawaii’s Big Island and Oahu, Auliʻi spilled some real talk about their one-bedroom setup in Mililani.
“I slept in the bedroom; my mom slept on the couch,” she shared. “She gave me everything.” (Cue all of us ugly crying into our Spam musubi.)
Fast-forward to post-Moana stardom, and things have changed dramatically. Thanks to the movie’s blockbuster success and Auliʻi’s undeniable talent, her mom is now living her best life in her very own house. Oh, and she’s retired. That’s right—no more alarm clocks or emails titled “per my last email.”
Auliʻi’s Thoughts on Parenthood
As if buying a house wasn’t enough of a mic drop, Auliʻi got reflective about her parents’ sacrifices. (Her mom and dad ran a construction company and divorced when she was young.)
“Your parents give you so much,” she said, undoubtedly making every parent reading this nod in agreement and side-eye their own kids. “Kids feel a little indebted, I’m going to be honest! But we feel so grateful for our parents’ sacrifices.”
Translation: She’s a Disney princess and the kind of daughter who doesn’t pretend her Venmo account “isn’t working” when her mom asks for gas money.
What’s Next for Auliʻi?
With a Moana sequel smashing box-office records, Auliʻi is on top of the world. And while we’re here freaking out over her success, she’s just busy making sure her family gets to enjoy the fruits of her labor—because that’s how real-life Disney royalty rolls.
BRB, calling our moms to tell them we love them (and maybe apologizing for eating all the snacks last Thanksgiving).
