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Already struggling with the stigma of unpopular live-action Disney movie remakes, Lilo & Stitch has met another controversy.
Fans previously criticized the casting of Sydney Agudong as Nani, accusing filmmakers of colorism by casting the light-skinned actress instead of a Native Hawaiian. (Agudong was born in Hawaii but is not Native Hawaiian.) Now, the casting of Nani’s love interest, David, is under public scrutiny.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Kahiau Machado would play David just days ago. Hours later, Twitter user @ctrlcentered uncovered a Spotify account allegedly belonging to the actor that contained a playlist with the N-word, a racial slur for Black people, in the title:
bombastic side eye already…WHAT noise??
bombastic side eye already…WHAT noise?? https://t.co/F3XXeIWLRP pic.twitter.com/cn0NwQfjGe
— ₄₂₈² (@ctrlcentered) April 17, 2023
The account was soon scrubbed, but it’s preserved on the Internet Archive. Machado and Walt Disney Studios have so far neglected to comment on the inappropriate Spotify playlist.
Lilo & Stitch will premiere in late 2024 or early 2025, starring Chris Sanders as Stitch, Zach Galifianakis as Pleakley, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, and Maia Kealoha as Lilo. Other beloved characters like Jumbaa, Myrtle, and the Grand Councilwoman have yet to be cast.
More on Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Can’t wait almost two years for the live-action remake? Subscribe to Disney Plus to catch up on the rest of the franchise including Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Stitch! The Movie (2003), Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005), and Leroy & Stitch (2006).
“In Lilo and Stitch, get ready to crash-land on Earth with Stitch, a runaway genetic experiment from a faraway planet,” reads the official Disney movie description. “As he wreaks havoc on the Hawaiian Islands, he becomes the mischievous adopted alien “puppy” of an independent little girl named Lilo and learns about loyalty, friendship, and ‘ohana, the Hawaiian tradition of family.”
Share your thoughts on the controversies surrounding Sydney Agudong and Kahiau Machado with Inside the Magic in the comments.