Earlier this week, we learned that Sydney Elizebeth Agudong has been cast as Lilo's older sister and legal guardian, Nani. For the most part, the response to the news has been positive (even though Moana star Auli'i Cravalho was a fan-favourite choice) for the role, but there's been quite a bit of backlash as well.
Despite the fact the actress was born and raised on the island of Kaua'i, Hawaii, there are those who have now accused Disney of whitewashing the character of Nani by casting a lighter-skinned performer.
As well as being a native Hawaiian, Agudong is of Filipino descent and it's hardly as if the studio has cast a white actress in the role (we also can't but feel for the unnecessary level of vitriol being sent the relative newcomer's way). At the same time, it's easy to see why many Hawaiians might feel like they're not being accurately represented through this casting.
Here are just a sampling of the reactions:
Newcomer Maia Kealoha was recently cast as Lilo, while Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen have also joined the cast. A popular theory online is that they're playing Jumba and Pleakley, respectively. Stitch is likely to be a CG creation, while Cobra Bubbles, Captain Gantu, and David Kawena are among the main roles left to be cast.
Lilo & Stitch is a tale of a young girl's close encounter with the galaxy's most wanted extraterrestrial. Lilo is a lonely Hawaiian girl who adopts a small ugly "dog," whom she names Stitch. Stitch would be the perfect pet if he weren't in reality a genetic experiment who has escaped from an alien planet and crash-landed on Earth.
Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On) is directing Disney+'s Lilo & Stitch, while Chris Kekaniokalani Bright, Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, and Mike Van Waes are all expected to receive writing credits. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich of Rideback (Aladdin) are attached to produce the project.
As of right now, Lilo & Stitch doesn't have an official release date, but is likely to debut next year.