Dwayne Johnson visits Hawaii troops amid ‘Moana 2’ success.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took the time to express his gratitude to the troops and their families in Hawaii during the highly successful opening weekend of “Moana 2.”

The actor and former WWE Superstar, known for voicing Maui in Disney franchise, visited Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Oahu on Saturday to connect with members of the military community.

His visit comes as the highly anticipated film made an incredible splash at the box office, raking in $221 million over the five-day holiday period. Its record-breaking debut cemented the film as a huge success, further cementing the franchise’s legacy and Dwayne Johnson’s talent.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been spending time in his home state of Hawaii for several weeks leading up to the premiere of “Moana 2” this weekend.

Johnson shared highlights from his visit on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, writing“My absolute honor to once again come back to the land of fear and spend time with our soldiers and their families at JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM here in Oahu, Hawaii.”

“Immensely grateful to all our military men and women and their families for their service,” he added. “A great day looking into your eyes and shaking hands and loved all the daps, hugs, tears and selfies too.”

He concluded, “God bless you and your families. Forever a proud patriot because our freedom is our greatest privilege.”

Even “The Rock” needs some help in maintaining the physique of a demigod.

The actor, who lends his voice to the swaggering Polynesian deity Maui in “Moana” and “Moana 2,” recently shared his insights on how his iconic physique will be portrayed in the upcoming live-action adaptation of the beloved princess story.

“It’s a suit that took a long time to put on,” he said during a recent interview with Extraand noted that he appreciated the interviewer asking if he put on extra muscle to play the live-action Maui. “I’m so glad you said ‘You bulked,’ because when you said ‘You bulked,’ it means you couldn’t say it.”

Johnson later shared portraying Maui in the live-action adaptation felt noticeably different from just voicing the character in the animated “Moana” movies.

“I know who Maui is: I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration, I can access things, you’ve got it,” he said. “The moment I stepped onto the set as the live-action Maui, I immediately realized, ‘Oh, wow.’ This is different, in that this is real flesh and blood and skin and bones, and it becomes real all of a sudden. So then it’s almost like stepping into my grandfather’s skin.”

In a recent interview with Entertainment WeeklyJohnson reflected on his personal connection to Maui, the character he voices in “Moana 2.” Johnson explained that Maui’s journey resonates with his own life experiences, particularly learning to embrace vulnerability and ask for help.

“When I got to Maui, I was like, ‘OK, I know who this is,'” he revealed. “This guy who’s very presentational, who puts on a show, who loves to hold court, sing and dance and make people feel good. But there’s a lot brewing in the depths that he’s going to have to deal with eventually because it’s like a ball that you hold underwater eventually you have to drop the ball and it’s going to explode.

Johnson hopes Maui’s openness, especially in “Moana 2,” will inspire viewers to find the courage to embrace their own vulnerability.

“It’s an important moment for people to see that you can be strong, you can be big, you can be independent, but it’s okay to ask for help,” he said. “When you finally ask for help, the universe and your loved ones have a way of meeting you halfway. Even the strongest people need help.”

“Moana 2” is now in theaters. Live-action “Moana” will be released on July 10, 2026.