Live-Action ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Faces Criticism For Its Casting Choices, Fans Accuse Disney Of Colorism

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Lilo & Stitch is the latest Disney movie to get the live-action treatment, with the main cast being revealed this week. However, the remake is already in hot water over its casting choice for Nani and David, Lilos’ older sister and love interest.

The actors in question are Sydney Agudong and Kahiau Machado, both Hawaiians, mirroring the Hawaiian characters and setting of the original films. But when those casting announcements hit social media, many fans took issue with the side-by-side comparisons between animated characters and live-action actors, pointing out that the actors are fair-skinned and have different facial features from the cast. original Nani and David.

@pisceswithasideoffries #greenscreen #LiloAndStitch #LiloandStitchLiveAction #Lilo #Nani #Stitch #DavidKawena #fyp #fyp #fypage sindi original sound

The colorism is stunning! reads one of many frustrated responses to Nanis’ casting on Twitter. Why not hire a dark-skinned native Hawaiian? ! Others posted sarcastic comments like the racist Family Guy meme, or joked, was Scarlett Johansson busy???

These casting choices also sparked several viral TikToks digging into hiring lighter-skinned actors for these roles. Is it hard to find a dark-skinned native Hawaiian woman to play this role? demanded TikToker @marshmallowmoney, to the tune of 470,000 views.

Meanwhile, TikToker @dreamafromvenus argued that casting these actors perpetuates this idea that it’s hard to find someone who looks like this image, when you don’t! It’s not hard to find someone who looks like Nani, you just don’t want to invest in them.

@dreamafromvenus UNCONFIRMED but the streets say she’s not even Kanaka!!! #liloandstitch, #liloandstitchliveaction, #nani, #nanililoandstitch, #disney, #colorism, #casting, #sydney, #nativetiktok, #kanaka, #kanakamaoli, #hawaiitiktok original sound dreama

They might as well choose Amy Schumer to play mama lilos or something, another TikToker, @zeinaboucoulibaly, joked. my girlfriend Nani was full of ethnic features.

@zeinaboucoulibaly I know lilos parents aren’t even in the movie but that’s crazy #liloandstitch #liloandstitchliveaction #nani #davidkawena #greenscreen original sound Zeinabou

A few commentators were more defensive, arguing that Agudong and Machado are still Hawaiian representation and that Hawaii is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. That being said, this controversy is already casting a pall over the Lilo & Stitch remake. These live-action Disney movies rely on people’s affection for the original version, and that affection involves some very strong opinions about the cast.

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*First published: April 18, 2023, 9:11 a.m. CDT

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw

Gavia Baker-Whitelaw is a staff writer at the Daily Dot, covering geek culture and fandom. Specializing in science fiction films and superheroes, she also appears as a film and television critic on BBC radio. Elsewhere, she co-hosts the pop culture podcast Overinvested. Follow her on Twitter: @Hello_Tailor

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