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A fortnight after the Lilo & Stitch live-action movie got its Lilo in Maia Kealoha, it has reportedly signed Sydney Agudong as her older sister Nani. Agudong, a native of Kaua'i, Hawaii, mostly works in independent cinema and is a relatively new actress on the block.
The 23-year-old has worked on Netflix's On My Block season 4, where she appeared as Charlize, along with starring in Amazon-iTunes’s coming-of-age feature West Michigan. Her other significant appearances include independent films like At Your Feet (yet to be released) and Infamously in Love. In the meantime, Kealoha will mark her feature debut with the Lilo & Stitch remake.
After The Hollywood Reporter made Agudong’s casting public, fans got angry and pointed out that Disney+, the production company backing the live-action, is promoting “colorism.” The reason behind this is probably that Nani Pelekai's character is dark-skinned, which doesn’t match Agudong’s skin tone.
Apart from those mentioned above, The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis was roped in this February, The Hollywood Reporter stated at the time. His role in the Lilo & Stitch remake remains unknown.
As per Deadline, Billy Magnussen, noted for The Many Saints of Newark and No Time to Die, is also a cast member for the Lilo & Stitch remake. His character is also being kept under wraps.
Netizens share their disappointment on seeing Sydney Agudong's casting in Lilo & Stitch remake
On Thursday, April 13, 2023, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively carried out a story on Agudong’s casting while writing that she had recently finished shooting At Your Feet. The younger sister of Resident Evil star Siena Agudong, Sydney is represented by several agencies, including AEFH talent agency and Trilogy Talent Management.
Notably, Disney+ or anyone connected to the Lilo & Stitch remake hasn’t confirmed her involvement. However, fans nonetheless took to Twitter to express their displeasure at the same. They indicated that it’s “colorism,” and that Agudong’s features do not go with how Nani Pelekai looks.
On the other hand, several netizens also came out in support of the young actress. They urged the attackers to ignore her physical attributes and focus on her Hawaiian roots, which complement Nani’s native.
As of this writing, neither Disney nor Sydney Agudong have commented on the issue.
The live-action adaptation was officially announced in October 2018 with Rideback’s (formerly called Lin Pictures) Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich enlisted as producers. At the time, Mike Van Waes was supposed to write the script, but recent reports state that Chris Kekaniokalani Bright is the scribe for the adaptation.
Meanwhile, Dean Fleischer Camp will helm the upcoming feature. Fleischer Camp was nominated for the Oscars in the Best Animated Feature category at the 95th Academy Awards for the 2021 release Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
