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Lilo & Stitch is one of the most beloved movies that is adored by children and adults alike due to its originality, light-hearted humor, and charming characters. The movie was so successful that audiences preferred watching it over big names like Men in Black II, Spider-Man, or Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, which came out during the same time. Lilo & Stitch's success that year only fell narrowly behind the Ice Age.
Hence, it was no surprise that Disney decided to do a live-action remake of the film. Over the past few years, Disney has leaned towards the live actions of their past franchises by releasing The Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and The Lion King live-action movies. Although they have been fairly successful, Disney did stir up controversy regarding their unconventional casting choices.
A similar thing happened with Lilo & Stitch as well. News of Sydney Agudong taking over the role of Nani took the internet by storm. As such, many are accusing Disney of colorism because the original character had a much darker skin tone and was of Native Hawaiian descent. Sydney Agudong, although of Native Hawaiian and Filipino origin, is relatively light-skinned, and that has sparked a controversy that Disney is trying to whitewash the character.
However, many also supported Sydney Agudong, bringing up the instance when Halle Bailey played the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, who was drawn as a white character with red hair.
Even so, netizens argue that the inclusion of a person of color in Disney movies that has always had predominantly white characters is huge for colored kids who can now see themselves represented in the media. Only time will tell whether Disney will stick to their choice. For now, the audience can only speculate who could have done the role the most justice.
Janet Mock and 2 other actresses who could have done justice to Nani's character in the Lilo & Stitch remake instead of Sydney Agudong
1) Nicole Scherzinger
While talking about the recasting of Nani in Lilo & Stitch, no one better comes to mind than Nicole Scherzinger. This talented actress is of Native Hawaiian, Filipino, and Ukrainian descent and is tailored to the audience's needs.
She is a powerhouse actress and veteran of the industry, as she started acting at the age of 14. She was also one of the lead singers of the Pussycat Dolls and is well acquainted with Disney as she was one of the cast members of Moana. While Disney did not choose her for the role, given her heritage and her skin color, she is the perfect fit to be Nani from Lilo & Stitch.
Moreover, her amazing vocal talents, as well as her acting prowess, were showcased in many movies and TV shows such as Cats, Dirty Dancing, Ralph Breaks The Internet, etc. Nani’s character from Lilo & Stitch has many iconic songs like Aloha Oe that needs professional dexterity to bring to justice. Given a chance, Scherzinger would blend in perfectly with the role in Lilo & Stitch.
2) Janet Mock
Janet Mock is also of native Hawaiian descent, which makes her an ideal contender for the role. The actress is a trans woman and has been a vocal transgender activist for ages. With society still struggling to accept LGBTQ+ people as a part of normal ways of life, casting her as Lilo & Stitch's Nani would give hope to many audiences that belong to the community.
From being the staff editor of People magazine to writing many books and acting, she has had a diverse career. Her most famous work is Pose, where Mock is a writer/director/producer. She was also one of the first transgender women of color to write and direct any mainstream television episode.
Mock is not shy to the camera and has done countless works like The Trans List, Scandalous, and The Out List that left her mark on Hollywood. As such, she would be an inspiration in the role of Nani in Lilo & Stitch and would make history.
3) Kelly Hu
This Asian Hawaiian actress would probably seem to many an uncanny choice. However, much like Halle Bailey’s inclusion in Disney, this would be a huge win for representation not only for Native Hawaiians but also for Asians who are under-represented in Disney apart from Mulan.
However, one must remember that nearly one in five Native Hawaiians are immigrants, and Hawaii is also one of the first US possessions that attracted a lot of Asian immigrants. Hence, casting Kelly Hu in the role of Nani in Lilo & Stitch would go a long way in representing the vast majority of Native Hawaiians that would otherwise go amiss in the mainstream media.
Kelly Hu has appeared in The Vampire Diaries, Sunset Beach, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. She has also worked with Disney before on projects like Phineas and Ferb and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. Thus, she would be a great choice to play Nani from Lilo & Stitch if there is a recast.
Disney has been tight-lipped about the whole Lilo & Stitch incident and has not made any comments regarding the issue. The audience can only wait to see if Disney takes the feedback from their fanbase or goes along with their choice.
Lilo & Stitch is set to be released in May of 2024.
