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Article Title: The Live-Action Lilo & Stitch Remake Controversy, Explained
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Publish Date: 2024-06-18
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Keywords: Lilo & Stitch, Disney, live-action remake, Nani, ohana, controversy, Hawaiian culture, colonialism, Dean Fleischer Camp
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The live-action remake of Disney's beloved animated film, Lilo & Stitch, has sparked controversy among fans. While the original 2002 film championed the concept of 'ohana, the Hawaiian term for family, the remake has been criticized for altering the core of the story, especially concerning the character of Nani, Lilo's older sister and guardian.
Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp,the live-action Lilo & Stitch has faced backlash for changes that some viewers see as stripping the story of its anti-colonial politics and even being queerphobic. Let's break down the controversy surrounding the film, focusing on the depiction of Nani and other characters.
Who is Nani in Lilo & Stitch?
In the original Lilo & Stitch, Nani is lilo's 19-year-old older sister and guardian after the death of their parents. Nani fiercely fights to keep custody of Lilo, despite struggling to hold down a job due to Lilo and Stitch's antics. Never once does the original Nani consider giving up custody of lilo.
What are the criticisms of the new movie's portrayal of Nani?
There are two main criticisms of the changes Disney has made to the character of Nani, played by Sydney Agudong.
Colorism: Some fans criticized the casting of agudong, who is lighter-skinned than the original animated Nani. This was seen as an affront to the 2002 movie's depiction of darker-skinned Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. There has also been debate about whether Agudong, who is of Filipino, white, and Polynesian descent, is ethnically Hawaiian.
Altered Storyline: The live-action Nani, like her animated counterpart, struggles to care for Lilo and Stitch. however, this Nani is a former competitive surfer with dreams of studying marine biology at the University of California in San Diego. After an incident, a social worker convinces Nani that giving up custody of Lilo is the right thing to do. Nani agrees, and Lilo ends up living with Tūtū, their neighbor. Lilo urges Nani to pursue her education in California.Why are people so upset about these changes to Nani's character?
The original Lilo & stitch was seen as a fairly political movie for Disney, due to its focus on darker-skinned Native Hawaiians and its touching on the history of Native and Indigenous peoples in the U.S. The song Nani sings to Lilo, "Aloha 'Oe," is a cultural symbol representing customary Hawaiian culture and resistance against colonial power.
Nani's fear of social services and the separation of her family resonated with the history of Indigenous families being forcibly separated in the U.S. Many viewers are criticizing the new narrative as "colonial anti-indigenous messaging," as giving up custody of a family member is antithetical to 'ohana.
How did the filmmakers address the changes to Nani's character?
In an interview, director Dean Fleischer Camp saeid the changes to Nani's character were attempts at "thematically modernizing" the story.He felt the original Nani was "a little to rose-colored glasses" and wanted to complicate the idea of 'ohana with more nuance.
