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Disney is home to many movies that have shaped the childhoods of many generations. Movies like The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch, and many others come to mind while recounting fond memories of a young age. However, recently Disney’s remake of these movies and casting choices are riling up a huge controversy all over the internet.
Recently, Disney announced the casting of Sydney Agudong, a Native Hawaiian, for the character of Nani in Lilo & Stitch. It created a storm on social media as Sydney Agudong has a much lighter skin tone than the animated character. Many have brought out accusations of colorism and whitewashing the character of Nani from Lilo & Stitch.
This is not the first time Disney has landed in controversy over their remake. The Little Mermaid casting left the internet divided over Halle Bailey, a black actress portraying Ariel’s character. Peter Dinklage slammed Disney for remaking the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and paddling harmful stereotypes in society. The controversies regarding Disney are endless.
Amidst the Lilo & Stitch controversy, many have been looking at the past and unearthing even more instances of Disney remake choices that sparked a debate online.
4 controversial Disney remakes to remember amid the Lilo & Stitch controversy
1) The Little Mermaid
Perhaps the most controversial entry on the list is The Little Mermaid. It divided the internet as Halle Bailey, a black actress, was announced as the cast of Ariel in the movie. Many were not happy with the choice that a black actress would be portraying the live-action version of a character who has been drawn white.
On the other hand, some argued that mermaids are a fictional entity and their race should not matter much as it has no hold over reality.
Previously, Disney’s princesses were primarily white, with hardly any exceptions. Many felt that this inclusivity would give young people worldwide more hope and confidence to see their likeness on the big screen.
Many celebrities like Willow Smith, Zendaya, and Trevor Noah came out in support. Even experts like Jackie Rucker, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Teachers Credit Union, chimed in with her opinion. She said:
"It's easier to see yourself accomplishing things if you see others who look like you accomplishing those things."
She added:
"If you go through life, and you never see anyone who looks like you ― whether it's mythical things like a fairytale or even things on television ― it becomes a struggle. It's not good for your psyche as you're growing up. It's very isolating."
2) Mulan
Mulan holds great importance for its Asian representation as well as feminist undertones. However, when the remake of this animated classic was announced, more controversy came its way than open arms.
The main cast member of Mulan, Liu Yifei, made comments online supporting the Hong Kong police during the peak of the Hong Kong vs. China protest. Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong gained a lot of traction throughout the world, and many were sympathetic to the cause. So, when Liu Yifei showed her support to the police, it did not sit well with most fans.
The film also received flack for allegedly being filmed in China’s Xinjiang region, where the Chinese government made concentration camps to detain Uighur Muslims. Many thought this decision was heartless, leading to the #BoycottMulan movement on social media. There were also rumors that the diversity was limited to the front of the camera and mainly consisted of white people in the crew.
Although Disney has always distanced itself from any political or controversial issue, this film hurt the image of Disney. It became a symbol of the capitalist agenda profiting off of human rights violations and other atrocities.
3) Aladdin
Aladdin has been criticized over the years as it portrays harmful stereotypes about the East. It portrays Middle Eastern people in an exotic and romanticized manner that has drawn a lot of criticism over the years for perpetuating colonial stereotypes.
Amid all this, it sparked outrage online when they announced Naomi Scott as Jasmine, an actor of Indian-British ethnicity. This has led many to accuse Disney of “browning up” a Middle Eastern character and conforming to the stereotype that Westerners think Middle Easterns and Indians are the same people.
However, it did not seem to escape controversy even after its release. The film sparked a huge debate over its portrayal of racist Orientalist ideas. While talking to Culture, Daniel Newman, professor of Arabic at Durham University, said:
“...barring a few exceptions, what has happened is that one cliché has been replaced by another; from the scimitar-wielding lascivious Arab, we have gone to the bomb-wielding terrorist Arab.”
4) Snow White
Much like in The Little Mermaid, Snow White’s casting started up a storm as the character playing Snow White is Latina actress Rachel Zegler. Many applauded this decision despite the controversies, as Disney’s decision to make Snow White more inclusive will be a huge inspiration for the coming generation.
However, not all the criticism came from the audience. On WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage pointed out that although the movie has a Latina main cast, it remains a story of seven dwarfs that portray harmful stereotypes about the Dwarf community. He said:
"Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you're still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
A Disney spokesperson later added that they were working with members of the dwarf community to avoid reinforcing harmful ideas of the original animation.
Only time will tell whether Disney will change their decision regarding the Lilo & Stitch remake. So far, the movie is wrapped in more controversy and criticism than excitement. The movie is set to release on March 10, 2024.
