Auli’i Cravalho, who voiced the titular role of Moana and has returned for the film’s sequel, is sharing how the role has impacted her life. Speaking to People, she highlighted the difficulties she faced when first trying out for the role. “We lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Mililani when I was cast. I slept in the bedroom, my mom slept on the couch. She gave me everything,” she said of growing up on the Big Island and Oahu. She spoke of how much her parents did for her while she sought a career in acting. “Your parents give you so much. Kids feel a little indebted, I’m going to be honest! But we feel so grateful for our parents’ sacrifices,” she said.

During the first film, Cravalho was 14 and still in school. “My parents were like, ‘Listen, if [Moana] doesn’t go anywhere, you need to finish high school. You need to do the dishes. You need to fix your bed. Don’t let it get to your head,’” she recalled. The film’s success meant that Cravalho could show her gratitude for the support she received. “I bought my mommy a house,” she announced. “She’s happily retired.” Cravalho delayed going to college, with plans to continue to support her family. “There is a sense of the train is moving and do I bring it to a halt because I know for a fact that I’m not able to focus on those two things at once. I know I would have to pause one or give less of myself to the other, which doesn’t feel fair,” she said. She plans to eventually enroll in Columbia. Graduating would make her the first in her family with a college degree.

Now 24, the sequel has given Cravalho a chance to reflect on all the changes her life has seen. “I really get to have that full decade look back at just how much growth I’ve gone through,” she said. Since the first film, Cravalho has reprised the role for cameo appearances in video games and movies like Wreck it Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet. She also appeared in the recent reboot of Mean Girls.