He is arguably the dumbest character in the history of Disney animation. I’m not being mean. That is literally his job. When people talk about Heihei from Moana, they usually mention the screaming, the stone-eating, or the way he manages to walk off a boat into the middle of the Pacific Ocean without a single survival instinct in his body. He’s a bantam rooster with a brain the size of a pea. Maybe smaller. Honestly, he’s a miracle of biology.
Most sidekicks in Disney movies are there to give advice or provide some kind of moral compass. Think about Jiminy Cricket or Sebastian. They talk. They judge. They have opinions. Heihei? He doesn't even know where he is. He is "village idiot" taken to a cosmic extreme. But if you look past the bulging, desynchronized eyes, there is a fascinating story about how Alan Tudyk and the team at Disney took a character that was almost deleted from the film and turned him into a global icon.
The Near-Death Experience of Disney’s Favorite Rooster
It’s kind of wild to think about, but Heihei from Moana was almost cut from the movie entirely. Early versions of the script had him as a much smarter, much more antagonistic character. He was supposed to be a sort of "chief's watchdog" for Tui, Moana’s father. He was cranky. He was judgmental. He was, frankly, a bit of a jerk. The directors, Ron Clements and John Musker, were struggling with the story, and the "smart" version of the rooster just wasn't working. It felt forced. It didn't add anything to the emotional stakes of Moana’s journey.
Everything changed during a story meeting where the crew decided to lower his IQ. By a lot. They basically took his intelligence and dialed it down to zero. Suddenly, the character clicked. Instead of being a barrier to Moana, he became a "complication" she had to protect. This shift saved his life. The writers realized that by making him completely brainless, they could use him for pure physical comedy that broke up the tension of the more serious scenes.
Alan Tudyk and the Art of the Chicken Scream
You can’t talk about this bird without talking about Alan Tudyk. Most people know him from Firefly or Rogue One, but his performance as Heihei is legendary in the voice acting world. How do you voice a character that has no lines? You spend hours in a recording booth making various clucking and screaming noises. Tudyk has joked in interviews that he’s "the go-to guy for chickens" now, especially after doing similar work in Disney's Wish.
But there's actual technique here. It’s not just random noise. Tudyk had to convey confusion, terror, and accidental triumph through nothing but squawks. If you listen closely during the scene where Moana and Maui are being attacked by the Kakamora, Heihei’s screams are perfectly timed to the rhythm of the action. It’s a rhythmic, chaotic percussion that makes the scene funnier than it has any right to be.
Why We Are Obsessed With a Bird That Eats Rocks
There is a psychological reason why audiences latched onto Heihei from Moana so hard. He represents pure, unadulterated chaos. In a world where every character has a "want" or a "need"—Moana wants to save her island, Maui wants his hook and his glory—Heihei just wants to peck at the floor. Even if the floor is made of wood. Or stone.
He is the ultimate underdog. You’re constantly worried he’s going to die, yet he survives things that would kill a demigod. He falls off the boat. He gets trapped in a cage. He almost gets eaten by Maui. Yet, by the end of the film, he’s the one who saves the Heart of Te Fiti. He doesn't do it because he’s a hero. He does it because he sees something shiny and his instinct is to grab it. That accidental heroism is relatable. We’ve all had those days where we’re just stumbling through life and somehow manage to not mess everything up.
Animation Details You Probably Missed
The animators at Disney didn't just make him look funny; they studied actual chicken behavior to make his movements feel "real" in a surreal way. Have you ever noticed his eyes? They don’t move together. One eye might be looking at a grain of corn while the other is staring into the void of space. This is a real thing called "independent eye movement," though the movie exaggerates it for comedic effect.
- His feathers have a specific iridescent sheen that mimics real roosters.
- The way he "glitches" when he’s scared is based on the jerky, high-frequency movements of real birds.
- The sound design uses a mix of Tudyk’s voice and actual recorded animal foley to give it texture.
The contrast between the beautiful, lush environment of the Pacific and this scraggly, blue-and-green mess of a bird is a visual gag that never gets old. He looks like he doesn't belong in a masterpiece, which is exactly why he stands out so much.
The Cultural Impact of the "Dumb" Sidekick
Interestingly, there was some initial concern about whether the character would be seen as a distraction. Some critics wondered if a wordless, "stupid" animal would take away from the cultural weight of the Polynesian setting. But the opposite happened. Fans in the Pacific Islands and around the world embraced him. He became the face of the movie's merchandise because he’s universally understood. You don’t need to speak English or understand the mythology of Maui to find a chicken falling into a bucket funny.
He also serves as a brilliant foil for Maui. Maui is arrogant and powerful. Heihei is humble (by default) and weak. When Maui tries to interact with him, he’s genuinely baffled. There’s a specific scene where Maui tries to eat him, and the look of sheer, blank emptiness in Heihei’s eyes is what stops him. You can’t intimidate someone who doesn't know what "intimidation" is.
Lessons for Content Creators and Storytellers
What can we learn from a rooster? Primarily, that "perfection" is boring. If Heihei from Moana had stayed the smart, capable protector he was originally meant to be, he would have been forgotten. By leaning into his flaws—specifically his complete lack of intelligence—the creators made him indispensable.
In storytelling, whether you're writing a screenplay or a blog post, the "flaw" is often the most interesting part. People don't connect with the hero who does everything right. They connect with the bird that tries to eat a mountain. It’s about the unexpected. If you’re building a brand or a character, find the thing that makes them "weird" or "broken" and lean into it.
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The Future of Heihei in Moana 2 and Beyond
With the sequel on the horizon, the question is: how do you evolve a character who literally cannot learn? You can't give Heihei a "character arc" in the traditional sense. If he becomes smart, the joke is over. The challenge for Disney will be finding new ways to put him in danger without it feeling repetitive.
Rumors and early clips suggest he’ll still be the stowaway we love. But expect the stakes to be higher. In the original, he was mostly on a boat. In a sequel, with more complex environments and new villains, the potential for Heihei-related disasters is endless. He is the ultimate "wild card" in a script.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Disney Rewatch
If you’re going to watch the movie again tonight, pay attention to these three things. First, look at how the other characters react to him. Moana treats him with genuine kindness, which tells you more about her character than his. Second, watch his feet. The animators put an incredible amount of work into his clumsy, uncoordinated walking style. Third, listen for the "Tudyk screams." They are varied and specific to the type of danger he’s in.
To really appreciate the craft, compare him to Pua the pig. Pua is cute, smart, and capable, yet he stays on the island for most of the movie. Heihei, the "useless" one, goes on the adventure. There is a deep, perhaps accidental, message there: sometimes the universe chooses the least qualified person (or chicken) for the job, and that’s just how life works.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out the "The Way to Moana" documentary on Disney+ to see the actual storyboards of the "smart" Heihei.
- Look up Alan Tudyk’s "behind the scenes" recording sessions; seeing a grown man scream like a chicken into a high-end microphone is a top-tier entertainment experience.
- If you're an artist, try drawing him using only circles. His design is built on the concept of "unstable geometry," which is why he looks like he’s always about to tip over.