Disney has revealed actress Sydney Agudong as their choice for the role of Nani in the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake but the announcement fell flat with some fans who had some questions about Agudong’s ethnicity.
A few weeks ago Disney announced newcomer Maia Kealoha as the lead playing Lilo in the upcoming film. Soon after actor Zach Galifianakis best known for his roles in The Hangover series and Between Two Ferns joined the cast.
Now Sydney, whom you might recognize from NCIS, Infamously In Love and On My Block, has joined the cast as Nani. Many Lilo & Stitch fans already know that Nani is Lilo’s elder sister and legal guardian, so the role has a special place in their hearts.
What is Sydney Agudong’s ethnicity?
Married Biography notes Sydney Agudong’s ethnicity as British-Irish withHawaiian and Filipino ancestry.
Sydney, who was born and raised in Kauai, Hawaii, is the elder child of her parents Karen Agudong and Kenneth Agudong. She has a younger sister Siena who is also in showbiz. She appeared in No Good Nick (2019), Upside-Down Magic (2020) and Resident Evil (2022).
Zillow.com notes Sydney’s mother was raised in a large farm in Middle Tennessee. She later to moved to Hawaii and stayed in Kapaa. Karen is a mother of four daughters Sarah, Kayli, Sydney and Siena (per Zillow).
As per her Facebook bio, Karen has studied at the University of Hawaii.
Sydney’s mother Karen Agudong is a realtor
Karen’s LinkedIn reveals that she is a full-time realtor with eXp Realty in Kauai, Hawaii. She has been working with the company for over five years now and previously worked with Aloha Island Properties for almost 18 years.
Sydney’s father Kenneth Agudong on the other hand has very little social media presence. He does have Facebook and Instagram accounts, but rarely posts on there, preferring to stay out of the limelight.
However, Karen and Kenneth Agudong, being parents, tend to post a lot about daughters’ accomplishments.
Fans are debating Sydney’s casting in Lilo & Stitch
Sydney’s casting as Nani restarted a debate around colorism in Disney movies over on Twitter. Many fans pointed out that Sydney had a lighter skin tone as compared to Nani’s animated character.
One fan even thought Pretty Little Liars star Sydney Park would have been a better choice.
“It is fundamentally important to cast a native Hawaiian who looks and plays the part of Nani,” another fan suggested.
However, a few others thought the backlash was unnecessary, given Agudong’s Hawaiian family background.
“Bro why are people mad about this, Sydney Agudong is Hawaiian, I understand the casting choice could have been closer to Nani’s actual appearance but- they’re literally from the right place?” one person said.
Sydney Agudong is of Hawaiian ancestry, so there's no actual issue with her playing Nani in my view. It's that simple.
There's bound to be controversy around the color of her skin, but she doesn't deserve to get heat for being cast in a role that's tied to her heritage.
— Ti – QUINTESSENCE#9860 (@WorkingSideways) April 14, 2023
