Dwayne Johnson Supports Moviegoers Who Want to Sing Along to Wicked and Moana 2: ‘That’s the Fun Part’

Dwayne Johnson has a hot take on singing in movie theaters.

The actor, 52, who reprises his voice role as the animated singing Polynesian demigod Maui in Moana 2, told BBC News at the Nov. 24 U.K. premiere that he endorses it “especially if you love music,” adding, “that’s the fun part.”

The actor’s answer comes as the internet has erupted in debate over movie theater etiquette following the release of Wicked: Part One. Moana 2 sails into movie theaters on Wednesday, Nov. 27, and as far as Johnson is concerned, fans should feel encouraged to sing and enjoy themselves.

“Sing! You’ve paid your hard earned money for a ticket, and you’ve gone into a musical, and you’re into it,” he told the outlet. “Sing.”

The nation’s largest theater chain, AMC Theaters, sparked renewed interest in whether or not moviegoers should feel entitled to sing during musical films when it began playing a 30-second advisory featuring scenes from Wicked that re-emphasizes AMC’s trademark “silence is golden” reminder.

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AMC spokesperson Ryan Noonan told The Indianapolis Star in a Nov. 19 statement that the chain “has a long-standing policy that prohibits disruptive behavior,” while additionally noting that the chain’s Wicked pre-show spot “incorporates the themes of the film as a fun, engaging reminder to moviegoers to not disrupt the experience for those around them as they enjoy the show.”

That debate then played out in movie theaters and on the internet over the weekend, with videos showing teachers reminding students not to sing during Wicked going viral.

Johnson returns for another round of seafaring musical adventure in Moana 2, in which his character Maui teams up again with Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and a new cast of characters in order to save the people of her island Motunui once more. For Johnson, the sequel marks a family affair — his daughters Jasmine, 8, and Tiana, 6, whom he shares with wife Lauren Hashian, performed voiceover work for characters in the new sequel.

Moana 2 is in theaters everywhere Nov. 27.