Chosen for Nani in live-action Lilo and Stitch, but should she have been?

[Buzz Rules]

Why is this thread seemingly focused on becoming political.

 

[Her Dotness]

Here's the thing though, this actress IS Hawaiian, from Kauai, which is where the movie takes place. She does have mixed heritage that includes Pacific Islander.

And if I hadn't read that she's part-Hawaiian, I could easily have thought her a fashionably slim Caucasian who was slightly tanned.

That misses the point of why, in part, social services would have their doubts that Nani is a suitable guardian. The animated Nani looks "other" in white society's terms. Agudong strikes me as quite conventionally pretty. Nani is not--which is a good part of her appeal for me. She looks real-life so that little girls could see her and think, "She's not pretty. I'm not either, but I can do things like she does. I can be strong, too."

Do we start scrutinizing every actor for "how much" of an ethnicity they are?

Of course not! Don't gaslight this. It's too important an issue for many women and girls who've never believed they were pretty enough, because movies so often tell them so.

An actor needs to be physically suited to the role to be believable, which I do not think Agudong is. Would Hairspray have worked with a model-pretty actor as the lead? Hardly.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This reminds me of this now famous screenshot



That said what the OP is talking about is ethnicity not birthplace. Being born and raised for parts of your life in Hawaii is not the same as being of Hawaiian ethnicity (the actress in question hasn't lived in Hawaii since 2018). However according to what I could find a source mentioned she was British-Irish ethnicity with Hawaiian and Filipino Ancestry. Wiki says her sister says she's "Caucasian, Filipino, and Polynesian descent" So there is that in her family line which her features pick up but it's probably more like the Rami screenshot above where people expected a certain look to match their assumptions.

In other words for at least the OP I can understand why this wouldn't be so cut and dried.

Does it matter to me personally? Not really but I can understand where the OP is coming from.

 

[Buzz Rules]

And if I hadn't read that she's part-Hawaiian, I could easily have thought her a fashionably slim Caucasian who was slightly tanned.

That misses the point of why, in part, social services would have their doubts that Nani is a suitable guardian. The animated Nani looks "other" in white society's terms. Agudong strikes me as quite conventionally pretty. Nani is not--which is a good part of her appeal for me. She looks real-life so that little girls could see her and think, "She's not pretty. I'm not either, but I can do things like she does. I can be strong, too."



Of course not! Don't gaslight this. It's too important an issue for many women and girls who've never believed they were pretty enough, because movies so often tell them so.

An actor needs to be physically suited to the role to be believable, which I do not think Agudong is. Would Hairspray have worked with a model-pretty actor as the lead? Hardly.

Just curious, why do you care about this so much? I understand the real world is imperfect but a Disney movie won’t change anything.

 

[Living42Day]

And if I hadn't read that she's part-Hawaiian, I could easily have thought her a fashionably slim Caucasian who was slightly tanned.

That misses the point of why, in part, social services would have their doubts that Nani is a suitable guardian. The animated Nani looks "other" in white society's terms. Agudong strikes me as quite conventionally pretty. Nani is not--which is a good part of her appeal for me. She looks real-life so that little girls could see her and think, "She's not pretty. I'm not either, but I can do things like she does. I can be strong, too."



Of course not! Don't gaslight this. It's too important an issue for many women and girls who've never believed they were pretty enough, because movies so often tell them so.

An actor needs to be physically suited to the role to be believable, which I do not think Agudong is. Would Hairspray have worked with a model-pretty actor as the lead? Hardly.

I'm not sure if we were watching the same movie. Hawaiian social services...in Hawaii......investigating a Hawaiian....I don't think he was judging her based on white society when Cobra Bubbles himself is literally Black.

And I always thought Nani was depicted as beautiful, not ugly. She has a boyfriend who is depicted as attractive as well.

I don't think people are gaslighting you, it's just that you have a very very different interpretation from many others and I think all of us are trying to figure out how we can watch the same movie but come out with wildly different interpretations of what was happening.

 

[BrianL]

I'm not sure if we were watching the same movie. Hawaiian social services...in Hawaii......investigating a Hawaiian....I don't think he was judging her based on white society when Cobra Bubbles himself is literally Black.

And I always thought Nani was depicted as beautiful, not ugly. She has a boyfriend who is depicted as attractive as well.

I don't think people are gaslighting you, it's just that you have a very very different interpretation from many others and I think all of us are trying to figure out how we can watch the same movie but come out with wildly different interpretations of what was happening.

Well said, and thank you, I'm not "gaslighting" anybody here. I just don't understand how second-guessing this casting is productive in any way. I don't think this actress signed up for all this criticism - let her play the role.

Yeah, and Nani is pretty hot actually. She's an athletic, surfer girl type!

 

[Her Dotness]

Yeah, and Nani is pretty hot actually. She's an athletic, surfer girl type!

Thanks for making my case that Nani is attractive because she's "an athletic, surfer girl type!"

That's precisely my contention. She's a terrific model for young women because she's physically capable and not movie star pretty.

And casting a movie star pretty actor undercuts that otherwise significant message.

 

[DisneyOma]

Okay, I agree with you to a point. The point being, for instance, casting actors in the original Hamilton whose appearance was so contrary to those of the historical personages that it's hard to believe that's who it's about. Couldn't Lin-Manuel Miranda have shaved off his beard at least? He'd much more nearly have resembled Alexander Hamilton if he had.

Probably wasn't an issue for most audience members because they hadn't a clue other than the $10 bill what Alexander Hamilton looked like. It was for me, though, and perhaps for others familiar with paintings of the Founders.

The point Miranda was trying to make (and done brilliantly, IMO) was to show the struggle of people of color (and women) today in the context of the American Revolution. The actors (some of them women in a man's traditional role of soldier) are representing themselves as an oppressed minority. They were not supposed to look like the actual white guys.

 

[Moliphino]

Here's the thing though, this actress IS Hawaiian, from Kauai, which is where the movie takes place. She does have mixed heritage that includes Pacific Islander. Many of you are debating if she is "Hawaiian enough" for the role. Are we really going that far now? Do we start scrutinizing every actor for "how much" of an ethnicity they are? Honestly, I'm finding it a bit offputting.

Sometimes it does matter. And colorism is a thing even within ethnic groups. Just look at the controversy around Zoe Saldaña playing Nina Simone, which she now admits she shouldn't have done. Saldaña is black, but she isn't nearly as dark skinned as Simone and doesn't have the same facial features.

 

[BrianL]

Thanks for making my case that Nani is attractive because she's "an athletic, surfer girl type!"

That's precisely my contention. She's a terrific model for young women because she's physically capable and not movie star pretty.

And casting a movie star pretty actor undercuts that otherwise significant message.

But is Sydney Agudong not athletic? She looks pretty fit. Even if she's not, she can always get into a certain shape for the role. Actors do it all the time. They will probably have her practicing surfing (assuming she doesn't know how) as there will certainly be shots that call for it. I'm not exactly sure what "not movie star pretty" means. Most of them are just normal folks with really good hair and makeup departments.

 

[Karin1984]

What do people here think if Zendaya would play Moana? She probably can sing it and can look like the part, but not her heritage.

 

[HokieRaven5]

That misses the point of why, in part, social services would have their doubts that Nani is a suitable guardian.

His first interaction with him is her kicking his car and calling him “stupidhead”. Can lead a person to think she may not have the maturity to handle herself and a child.

His next interaction is when he talks to her about how she doesn’t have a job and Stitch throws a book at his head, which adding a pet on top of raising a child can raise further questions on her ability to properly care for Lilo.

As far as her finding a job, most of the employers were close to or willing to hire her, and then Stitch and his antics prevented her from successfully gaining employment.

His last interaction with her before deciding to remove Lilo is witnessing Lilo nearly drown while surfing, again caused by situations surrounding Stitch.

None of those instances have really anything to do with the fact that she’s a Native Hawaiian or her physical appearance, at least from my interpretation.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Because there is not an active thread about the Little Mermaid remake, I'm going to use this one:

In this picture, this dress is not flattering. I am quite sure it is for Kiss the Girl and I just wish she had something better to wear. View attachment 756760

That's not a still from the movie, right, but a press shot?

If it's from the movie, the lighting is horrific and makes everything about the shot worse...

 

[Karin1984]

That's not a still from the movie, right, but a press shot?

If it's from the movie, the lighting is horrific and makes everything about the shot worse...

Based on the set, I think it is a still from the movie. It is a weird pose, he makes a weird face for an actual press shot.

 

[dreamer17555]

What do people here think if Zendaya would play Moana? She probably can sing it and can look like the part, but not her heritage.

It’s not happening. I don’t know why we need to speculate on casting that’s already been announced.

Someone created fanart of her doing it and now it’s all over the Internet, but it’s already been announced Auli’i is reprising the role.

Honestly, the live actions need to stop even with the original voice actors doing the parts. It’s ridiculous at this point. Can Disney not come up with an original idea anymore?

 

[Her Dotness]

The point Miranda was trying to make (and done brilliantly, IMO) was to show the struggle of people of color (and women) today in the context of the American Revolution. The actors (some of them women in a man's traditional role of soldier) are representing themselves as an oppressed minority. They were not supposed to look like the actual white guys.

You score with this point as I clearly am not as familiar with Hamilton as I thought I was. DUH!

One of these years, I may remember that late night/wee small hours posts aren't advisable.

 

[Karin1984]

It’s not happening. I don’t know why we need to speculate on casting that’s already been announced.

Someone created fanart of her doing it and now it’s all over the Internet, but it’s already been announced Auli’i is reprising the role.

Honestly, the live actions need to stop even with the original voice actors doing the parts. It’s ridiculous at this point. Can Disney not come up with an original idea anymore?

Is it official? I'm seeing conflicting messages, saying she is an executive producer and/or the star.

 

[Mysterian]

I’m mostly sad about how flounder looks in the live action little mermaid.

I’m surprised Disney went too real for the animals. Ursula’s eels are still creepy because they’re eels, but I would have love to see them with their angry brows, leering smiles, and more demonic appearance- otherwise they just look like average eels devoid of character.

 

[porschegrl]

average eels devoid of character.

What are you, some sort of eelitist?

 

[Mysterian]

What are you, some sort of eelitist?

I laughed out loud!