Catherine Laga’aia Selected for Live-Action Moana Movie
Catherine Laga’aia 獲選主演《海洋之歌》真人版電影
Introduction
Disney has chosen Catherine Laga’aia, a student from Sydney, to play the lead role in the live-action version of the animated film Moana.
迪士尼已選擇一名來自悉尼的學生 Catherine Laga’aia，飾演動畫電影《海洋之歌》真人版的主角。
Main Body
The casting process was highly competitive, with more than 32,000 candidates applying from around the world. Laga’aia, who was 17 at the time, won the role even though she had no previous experience in movies. Although her father, Jay Laga’aia, is a well-known performer, Catherine had previously avoided singing in public because she felt she was not as talented as her siblings.
選角過程競爭非常激烈，全球有超過 32,000 名候選人申請。Laga’aia 當時 17 歲，儘管之前沒有任何電影演出經驗，仍贏得了這個角色。雖然她的父親 Jay Laga’aia 是一位知名的表演者，但 Catherine 之前一直避免在公開場合唱歌，因為她覺得自己沒有兄弟姊妹那麼有天賦。
Director Thomas Kail emphasized that the team was looking for someone who naturally showed both strength and vulnerability, as he believes these qualities cannot be taught. After being hired in February 2024, Laga’aia had to balance her professional life with her studies, finishing her final high school exams while filming in Hawaii and Los Angeles.
導演 Thomas Kail 強調，團隊在尋找一個能自然展現強勢與脆弱共存特質的人，因為他認為這些品質是無法教導的。在 2024 年 2 月被錄用後，Laga’aia 必須在職業生涯與學業之間取得平衡，在夏威夷和洛杉磯拍攝的同時，還要完成高中的最終考試。
On set, she worked closely with experienced actor Dwayne Johnson, who praised her natural ability to deliver dialogue with the correct timing. Furthermore, Disney has limited her use of social media to protect her from negative public comments. Laga’aia, who is of Samoan descent, stated that the support of the Pacific Islander community has been essential to her success.
在片場中，她與經驗豐富的演員 Dwayne Johnson 密切合作，Dwayne 稱讚她能自然地在正確的時機把握對白的節奏。此外，迪士尼限制了她使用社交媒體，以保護她免受公眾負面評論的影響。擁有薩摩亞血統的 Laga’aia 表示，太平洋島民社區的支持對她的成功至關重要。
Conclusion
The movie is expected to be released in theaters on July 8.
電影預計將於 7 月 8 日在電影院上映。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'Contrast Bridge': Moving beyond 'But'
To move from A2 to B2, you need to stop using but for every single contrast. B2 speakers use Concession Markers to make their sentences sound more sophisticated and fluid.
🔍 Analysis of the Text
Look at how the article connects opposing ideas without using a simple 'but':
- "...won the role even though she had no previous experience..."
- "Although her father... is a well-known performer, Catherine had previously avoided singing..."
🛠️ The Logic Shift
| A2 Level (Simple) | B2 Level (Nuanced) | Why it's better |
|---|---|---|
| She had no experience, but she won. | Even though she had no experience, she won. | It emphasizes the surprise of the result. |
| Her dad is famous, but she didn't sing. | Although her dad is famous, she didn't sing. | It sets up a professional, narrative tone. |
💡 Pro-Tips for Implementation
- Placement: Unlike 'but', which always sits in the middle, Although and Even though can start the sentence. This creates a "hook" for the listener.
- The Comma Rule: When you start with Although, you must use a comma to separate the two parts of the sentence.
- Strength: Even though is slightly stronger than Although. Use it when the contrast is really shocking (like winning a movie role with zero experience!).
Quick Reference for your next writing piece:
- ❌ But ✅ Although... / Even though... / Despite the fact that...