Catherine Laga'aia Embraces 'Nepo Baby' Label, Shares Father Jay Laga'aia's Key Hollywood Advice

The young star of Disney's latest Moana adaptation is opening up about the wisdom passed down from her actor father as she launches her entertainment career.

Catherine Laga'aia, 19, sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss her path in the industry, and she didn't shy away from addressing the elephant in the room. "I'm completely aware that I'm a nepo baby," she said with a laugh. "I know that, so you can't call me out on it because I already know it."

Her father, Jay Laga'aia, brought considerable star power to the Star Wars prequel trilogy, where he portrayed Captain Typho. The elder Laga'aia has imparted crucial guidance to his daughter as she builds her own profile in Hollywood.

The most impactful counsel centers on reframing how she approaches her career. "One of my dad's biggest pieces of advice is that your job is the audition," Catherine explained. "Your job is not the job. You don't have that yet. So your job is whatever sides they gave you and whatever song they want you to sing. So that mentality of coming in and being like, 'I'm going to give this every ounce of effort that I've got, I'm going to give this every piece of myself to try and put the best foot forward,' essentially."

The live-action Moana hit theaters on July 10, 2026, with Dwayne Johnson taking on the role of Maui in the film adaptation.