From BYU football injuries to a Disney role, Michael Alisa lands in live-action Moana

Injuries that plagued Michael Alisa’s tenure as a promising BYU football starter forced him to abandon a professional sports dream and transition into sales and gym ownership. The COVID-19 shutdown prompted him to take acting seriously, leading to a series of auditions that eventually pointed him toward an open call for dancers in Disney’s live-action Moana. Encouraged by his sister, Alisa auditioned with high energy despite doubting his dance skills, earned a callback, and after a lengthy silence received the role of Tautai Vasa, a non-speaking ancestor who appears in several hero shots.

Filming took place in Atlanta, and Alisa’s presence remained intact in the final cut, culminating in an emotional premiere at the Hollywood Bowl where his wife was moved to tears. The project holds special significance for Alisa and the broader Pacific Islander community, offering rare on-screen representation and personal pride. He also received commendations from Dwayne Johnson and Lin-Manuel Miranda, reinforcing the personal impact of the achievement.