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Lin-Manuel Miranda is reflecting on the lasting impact Moana has had on both his career and his personal life, saying the Disney film helped keep him grounded during one of the busiest periods he has ever experienced.
Speaking to PEOPLE at the New York screening of the live action adaptation on July 9, the 46 year old songwriter and actor revealed that working on the 2016 animated film came at exactly the right time.
Miranda explained that he was writing songs for Moana while simultaneously starring in the original Broadway production of Hamilton, which became a cultural phenomenon after its debut.
He said the timing was no coincidence.
"I was hired for Moana before Hamilton debuted," Miranda said, adding that he wrote much of the soundtrack from his dressing room at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Looking back, he believes the Disney project "saved" his life.
As the spotlight on Hamilton grew, Miranda said the demands of writing for Moana helped him stay focused instead of becoming overwhelmed by the sudden attention.
He recalled that while the world was closely watching the success of the Broadway musical, he remained occupied with finishing songs for Moana's journey beyond the reef.
According to Miranda, having another creative project to concentrate on kept him humble and helped preserve his peace of mind during an intense chapter of his career.
The original Moana soundtrack featured several memorable songs, including the Oscar nominated hit "How Far I'll Go," which became one of the film's signature tracks.
Miranda did not contribute to the songs for Moana 2. He previously explained that the sequel began development as a television series before evolving into a feature film, and songwriters Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear had already been brought on board.
However, he returned for the live action adaptation after director Thomas Kail joined the project. Kail previously directed Miranda in Hamilton, and their long running creative partnership made the reunion a natural fit.
Miranda said Kail suggested creating a new song that would connect the original animated Moana with the live action version. The result was "Along the Way," a track featuring Catherine Laga'aia, who plays Moana in the new film, original voice actor Auli'i Cravalho, and Dwayne Johnson as Maui.
Miranda recalled that the idea immediately inspired him, and he had written both the verse and chorus within hours of the conversation.
As for the future, Miranda said Johnson likely knows more about Moana 3, which is already in development. Still, he hopes the franchise continues for years to come, joking that he would happily see as many as 10 Moana films made.
