Disney's Live Action Lilo & Stitch: Misrepresentation of Native Hawaiian Communities
Over a week ago, Disney revealed their casting for their upcoming live action movie adaptation of Lilo & Stitch. One of the most lovable, nostalgic pieces of media. Living on the island of Kauai, Lilo Pelekai is a Hawaiian girl raised by her older sister Nani after their parents’ deaths. Stitch, an extraterrestrial creature, is adopted by Lilo when he arrives on earth. The plot continues to follow their chaotic adventures as they redefine what a family is.
The culture of this television store is completely essential in its storytelling. The most recognizable, recited line is “Ohana means family, and family means nobody is left behind or forgotten” – this is a direct connection to the Hawaiian concept of extended family. The show even features the use of Tagalog– Polynesian members of the Austronesian language family. The point is, accurate representation is non-negotiable for this film.
When Disney posted their casting, ample discourse struck. Initially, many were upset at the whitewashed cast. Another essential feature of BIPOC representatives goes deeper than ethnicity, also physical features often play a massive part. The actors were of Hawaiian heritage, yes, they didn't consider showcasing Native Hawaiian, Polynesian featured actors.
“This is read as lazy casting director work. They chose one box to fulfill which must be of Hawaiian descent, and didn't really care about the other boxes such as having a curvy build, being darker skinned” says TikToker, @moviemija.
There are so many dark-skinned Native Hawaiian girls that could have played this role perfectly because they can empathize with Nani. It's also devastating because so many brown Polynesian girls with Polynesian features won't get to see themselves represented in this film. The whole situation contributes to Disney’s ongoing colorism issue when casting for BIPOC-led films.
Between Disney’s Aladdin Live Action and Marvel’s America Chavez, it’s not surprising—just disappointing. If Disney, a multinational conglomerate, “doesn't” have the bandwidth to find actresses who look like accurate representations of these beloved characters. If Disney doesn't have the resources, who does?
As more cast members were announced, more issues started to arise. Sydney Agudong, cast as Nani, lied about her Native Hawaiian descent.
Tiktoker Lily Hi’ilani Okimura (@hiililylani) shared her thoughts on the situation: “If you lie about your cultural background and your family history and you take away an opportunity from those who are of that cultural background and who barely gets represented already—shame on you.”
In the Native Hawaiian community, they don’t go by blood quantum or phenotypes, they recognize genealogy, and it’s especially unfortunate if a piece of media whose character’s culture and heritage are heavily integrated into the story is being adapted by actors or actresses not from said culture. This is a representation that means something to a lot of people. The original show showcased the beautiful culture of Native Hawaiian people as well as shed light on some of the issues that they face as best as they could. So with this live-action adaptation, it was a chance for complete accuracy—an opportunity to better represent their culture on and off screen.
The same way casting directors can check the box for a video game adaptation, The Last of Us, so can they for a Disney movie that is a global influencer on representation for BIPOC people, especially underrepresented marginalized communities like Native Hawaiians.
It’s unfortunate how I think these western media companies portray BIPOC communities inaccurately, but what we can do to support them is encourage BIPOC directors, writers, and performers.
Here’s a list of sources for Hawaiian media:
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