Finding ‘Ohana is Netflix’s upcoming family-friendly adventure romp, arriving on the streaming platform January 29. It follows the journey of two Brooklyn-raised siblings who connect with their O’ahu roots and make new friends through a treasure hunt.
Cast members Kea Peahu and Owen Vaccaro spoke to Screen Rant about how their characters, Pili and Casper, grow over the course of the film and what fond memories they have from set.
Can you talk to me about the bond between Pili and her grandfather, and how the book she discovers pushes her into exploration?
Kea Peahu: I think the bond that Pili and her Papa have is really special. Going to Hawaii, she didn't really know what to expect from him, because she's been in Brooklyn, New York all this time while he's been in Hawaii.
I think when she first sees him, she's surprised. She thinks he's a really tough person and he's not very loving, but then in that one scene that her Papa has with Casper, she really sees how much he loves his 'ohana. Blood or not, it can just be someone he considers his family. Throughout the movie, I think she realizes how much she really cares for him. The last thing she ever wants is to lose him.
When she sneaks into his bus and finds that journal, that journal leads everyone on a huge adventure. And on that adventure, you can see how we all connect as characters. We weren't only connecting as characters, but also as people in real life.
Casper has a heart of gold. He's literally the guy that will give you the shirt off his back. Can you talk to me about that snot scene, or any fun stories you remember?
Owen Vaccaro: There's so many. I remember in that scene, they had this jar of fake snot that I think they put on your arm or something for the shirt. How did they do it?
Kea Peahu: Yeah, they put it on my arm, so I'd kind of go like that and it'd just go in my nose.
Owen Vaccaro: It was repulsive. Kea, I remember [director Jude Weng] would try to give us - or you more specifically - exercises to cry. Because Kea had cry for that scene, and you did an incredible job. That was another cool thing that happened that day.
Both Pili and Casper have a sense of adventure. What other traits do you share with the characters you play?
Kea Peahu: Something similar to Pili is, I think, we're both really active people in different types of ways. She's active in the way where she's a geocacher, so she's very adventurous. I'm active because I'm a dancer, and I'm actually with a crew called The Lab. So, I do performances and competitions. I think we definitely share that active trait.
And also we kind of have similar backgrounds. Because she's from O'ahu and she moved to Brooklyn, New York. I'm from O'ahu, and actually moved to LA.
Owen Vaccaro: I think the most similar trait that I share with my character is that we both like to study ecosystems and biology. It's my favorite class at school, although ninth grade biology is a lot harder than eighth grade biology when I was filming, so that opinion could change. I don't know how much I like learning about DNA. But I think it's probably my favorite part about this character.
What do your characters discover about themselves in Finding 'Ohana?
Owen Vaccaro: I think what my character discovers about himself is that he's a lot more adventurous and braver than he thinks he is. Especially with the beginning scenes, where Casper covers his face in sunscreen, you can kind of tell that he's probably more reserved when it comes to adventures and cave spelunking. I think that's the main thing that he learned about himself; that he's able to do these crazy things.
Kea Peahu: I think two things she learned about herself is, one, she actually does have a soft spot. She can come off as really tough, but I think deep down she does really have a soft spot for her family and her friends. And the second thing is, she's terrified of swimming. But there are a few points where she has to step it up and actually swim, so I think she realizes how capable she is of doing that kind of stuff.