Even before she was cast as the titular princess inDisneysMoana, Aulii Cravalho was an accomplished 14-year-old.
I was really interested in science, Cravalho tells Bustle.
I was doing a project on how algae absorbs UVA, B, and C rays.
And I was hoping to make it into a natural sunscreen.
On top of all that, she was also auditioning for acting roles.
It all paid off in the summer going into her sophomore year, when she landedMoana.
But it wasnt all a fairytale.
But that doesnt change what goes on in my head.
In the years since Cravalhos Disney debut, shesmoved into her first solo apartmentandshared plansto study at Columbia University.
But she also remains an actor.
If theres one thing that sparked Cravalhos teen girl power in a more metaphorical sense, it was music.
I loved that feeling.
Ive always been very grateful for my voice, that I have an instrument on me all the time.
Take me back to 2014, when you turned 14.
What was life like for you?
I went to a school that was for all Hawaiian students.
I did a lot of sports.
I was on the swim team before that, I had trained for the U.S.A. swim team.
I played water polo.
I was on the synchronized dive team.
I paddled six-man regattas.
And I talked to myself a lot, because I was also an only child.
How did you feel about that aspect of growing up?
I got boobs at a young age, so it was really weird.
I had to deal with girls coming up to me and being like, You have really bushy eyebrows.
Can I pluck your eyebrows?
I can say right now: Im 22, and I amjustgrowing out my leg hair.
And my arm hair.
For so long, Ive been shaving away parts of myself that I thought werent pretty.
So expression of myself has changed so much since I was 14.
What were you a fan of at 14?
I was obsessed withSupernatural.
For some reason, I thinkSkinswas having a real resurgence at that point, which was a little toxic.
I was in my My Chemical Romance, Pierce the Veil phase.
I was in deep.
Yeah, I thought something was inherently wrong with me I was simply 14.
You mentioned going to a school for Hawaiian students.
Did that have a positive impact on your sense of self and culture growing up?
I attended Kamehameha Schools Kapalama campus, but I was born and raised in Big Island.
So I started off as a boarding student, and that alone taught me a lot of independence.
And we didnt readCatcher in the Ryeas required reading.
We read a lot of Hawaiiana books a lot of things specifically tied to the polytheistic nature of Hawaii.
We [didnt] have a written language.
We have only oral history.
Hawaii is a place for me, but also, its my identity.
To come out into the world, I realized that I am ethnically ambiguous.
That is what Im called with casting.
So it is a bit of a confusing process.
But I love being home.
Thats where I feel most myself.
Do you get to spend a lot of time there?
Less now that I am booked and blessed.
On that note, what did your friend group look like growing up?
What would you do for fun?
We would just walk around the mall, Ala Moana.
We wouldnt buy anything except boba and sat around the food court for hours.
I dont know how we spent hours doing that.
What would you tell your 14-year-old self today?
Hold yourself a little longer, and allow yourself to be young a little longer.
So dont block out that joyous part of you.
Dont be afraid to make mistakes.
And if you make a mistake, it really isnt the end of the world.
Because sometimes I still feel that way like, it physically pains me to make a mistake.
And that is unfortunately the byproduct of growing up too quickly.
So I would hope to retain some of that childhood joy for a little longer.
Just enjoy your books.
Keep reading fantasy novels.
Theres no need to get into nonfiction yet.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
