While the live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” was confirmed nearly five years ago, it looks as if things are finally moving ahead, with Disney having revealed the cast for the upcoming flick.
But there seem to be a lot of questions being had about the decision to bring Sydney Agudong on board to play Lilo’s sister Nani. Over on Twitter, the actress, who was born and raised on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, is receiving a lot of unwanted attention from those who think the casting choice could have been better.
— siraj hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) April 14, 2023
Now, y’all know social media can be a tough crowd to please, and things weren’t different on Thursday night when people began to sound off on the news. One of the biggest concerns about Agudong’s casting, as mentioned by countless people on the social platform, was that her skin complexion was much lighter than the character she is set to play in the movie, which sparked quite the conversation among Twitter users.
But others argued that they didn’t understand the outrage since Halle Bailey, who is starring in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” next month is the first Black woman to play Ariel.
“Hollywood would have you thinking cultures with some of the darkest people in the world are 95% light-skinned or white-passing,” one person wrote. But one particular user begged to differ, writing, “Getting a tan is so hard to understand. She’s Hawaiian Filipino, she’ll be whatever shade she wants in 24 hours.”
The Lilo & Stitch franchise has had a significant impact on Disney. Back in 2002 when the animated flick dropped in theaters, it became a critical and commercial success which led to the expansion of a television series. The franchise has also spawned a wide range of merchandise, including toys, clothing, and accessories. The live-action remake is expected to continue this trend and generate a significant amount of revenue for Disney.
a black Ariel is not the same as a white appearing Nani. Mermaids aren’t real & there wasnt a racial/ethnic aspect that contributed to its storyline like Lilo & Stitch. thats the major difference imo. Western medias reputation for whitewashing its content has always been an issue
— Galacta Girl 🛸 (@GiftedAsia) April 14, 2023
Disney has a long history of remaking their classic animated movies into live-action films. These remakes have been successful at the box office, but have also faced criticism from fans who feel that the original movies should be left alone. Despite this, however, the company has continued to remake its classic films, and Lilo & Stitch is the latest to receive this treatment.
The original Lilo & Stitch movie was written by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. It was released 21 years ago and received critical acclaim for its unique storyline and memorable characters.
The film follows the story of a young girl named Lilo, who lives in Hawaii with her older sister Nani. After the death of their parents, Nani struggles to take care of Lilo and keep their family together. To help Lilo cope with her loneliness, Nani adopts a dog-like alien named Stitch, who was created by an evil scientist on another planet.