Who is the Voice of Tamatoa the Crab in Moana?

Moana is a 2016 Disney animated musical fantasy adventure film that tells the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a Polynesian village chief, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with Te Fiti, a goddess The film features memorable characters like Maui, Pua the pig, and Tamatoa – a greedy, glamorous giant crab with a showstopping musical number.

So who provided the voice acting behind Tamatoa in Moana?

The talented voice behind Tamatoa is Jemaine Clement the New Zealand musician actor, comedian, and filmmaker.

About Jemaine Clement

Jemaine Clement is a multi-talented performer known for his music and comedy work. Some key facts about Jemaine Clement:

• Born in 1974 in Masterton, New Zealand. He is of Māori descent on his mother’s side.

• Formed the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords with Bret McKenzie in 1998. They went on to have an HBO show of the same name.

• Has appeared in films like Gentleman Broncos, Men in Black 3, What We Do In the Shadows, and more.

• Known for his observational and absurdist style of comedy.

• Won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album with Flight of the Conchords.

So with his musical talent and unique comedic flair, Jemaine Clement was perfectly cast as the over-the-top crab Tamatoa in Moana.

Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa in Moana

In Moana, Tamatoa is a greedy, isolated crab who lives in Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters. He hordes treasures and shiny objects on his back.

Tamatoa sings the song “Shiny” where he explains his love of all things glittery and valuable. The musical number showcases Tamatoa’s humorous narcissism and materialism.

Jemaine Clement lends his vocals to bring the giant crab to life with gusto and panache. He delivers Tamatoa’s lines in a campy, decadent tone befitting the character’s obsessive love of treasure.

Some key facts about Jemaine Clement’s performance as Tamatoa:

• Clement adopts an exaggerated crabby voice for Tamatoa, with clicks and vocal fry.

• He modeled Tamatoa’s voice and flamboyant mannerisms after David Bowie.

• Tamatoa was animated to sync precisely with Clement’s vocal performance.

• “Shiny” was written specifically for Clement to showcase his musical talent.

• Clement helped craft Tamatoa’s persona during early development meetings.

• He also sings Tamatoa’s lines in the Māori dub of Moana.

Critical Reception for Tamatoa

Jemaine Clement’s vocal performance as Tamatoa was met with universal acclaim:

• Critics praised the character’s vanity and dark humor.

• Tamatoa was considered one of the film’s highlights and standout characters.

• “Shiny” is regarded as one of the catchiest and most memorable musical numbers.

• Clement’s singing voice and comic delivery were called perfect for the role.

• Tamatoa was seen as an inspired comic creation thanks to Clement’s unique abilities.

So Jemaine Clement brought the right blend of musical artistry and weird comedy to make Tamatoa an unforgettable villain. His background in musical comedy no doubt prepared him well to let his talents loose as the greedy crustacean.

Jemaine Clement’s Reaction to Playing Tamatoa

According to Jemaine Clement, he enjoyed the opportunity to really ham it up as Tamatoa in Moana:

• He found it refreshing to play an animated character with no limits on how wacky he could go.

• Tamatoa’s narcissism and cruelty were funny to explore in an exaggerated way.

• He had a blast singing “Shiny” and embracing Tamatoa’s love of all things sparkly.

• Voice acting allowed him to be big and over-the-top with his physicality.

• He appreciated the chance to work with Disney’s top animators to create something unique.

So clearly, Jemaine Clement relished the experience of bringing the fabulous, greedy crab to life and getting to sing as a Disney villain. Tamatoa remains one of his most memorable and favorite roles.