Disney has been on a mission lately to ensure all their beloved animated films are made into live-action movies. And while this decision should be called into question, a more pressing matter has presented itself. Controversy has surrounded the production of many huge projects including that of Ezra Miller’s casting in the upcoming The Flash for the DCEU. And it has not strayed far from Disney either, with fans still awaiting news on whether Jonathan Majors’ domestic dispute will affect his role as Kang the Conqueror in the MCU. And now, with the production of a live-action Lilo & Stitch remake in the works, another controversy has presented itself.
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While Kahiau Machado has not gotten into any trouble with the law as the above-mentioned actors, some very disturbing content has surfaced regarding the actor’s personal life. In a time where the internet is a significant part of our everyday lives, many people seem to forget that everything you say and do online can severely affect your life and future. Of course, this is no different for the likes of Machado who was recast following the surfacing of him using the N-word on social media. Here is everything we know concerning the controversy.
Why Was Kahiau Machado Re-Cast for the Live-Action Lilo & Stitch Remake Film?
Hours after being announced for the role of David in the live-action film, a Twitter user by the name of “428²” accidentally uncovered a shocking detail about the actor. Upon doing research on Machado’s parents, they stumbled upon the actor’s Spotify account. While he had a number of different playlists created, one, in particular, had the internet in shock. The playlist was named “N**** Noise”, freely using a racial slur in his personal account. Of course, this led many to question who Disney was casting in their film.
Many users in the comment thread were very unhappy with the information, and many wondered why Disney did not do thorough background checks before casting an actor. So naturally, it was not long before Disney announced Machado would be replaced with a newcomer actor, Kaipo Dudoit. The studio explained that the discovery of Machado’s racial slurs certainly acted as the catalyst for their decision to recast him.
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What Would About Other Controversy Surrounding the Film?
It would make sense that Disney would be doing everything in their power to ensure that there are not any more scandals surrounding their production of the Lilo & Stitch live-action film. Fans of the animated film have been in an uproar concerning the studio’s decision to cast Sydney Agudong as Nani. Although Sydney was born in Hawaii, she is not a native leading to fans accusing Disney of colourism. Not only is Nani a Native Hawaiian, but she is much darker-toned than the actress cast to play her. This is similar to the controversy surrounding the studio’s decision to cast Halle Bailey as Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid.
And this is in addition to the controversy surrounding the film itself. Many do not see the appeal of creating live-action versions of all their animated films. While some have been accepted more than others, films such as The Lion King (2019), The Little Mermaid (2023), and now Lilo & Stitch have been subject to much criticism. Fans believe Disney should be putting the money into creating new, original live-action films instead of ruining classics with new iterations. And this is aside from the fact that the CGI in some of these films will surely serve as nightmare fuel for the young audience the movies are aimed at.
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TL;DR
- The live-action version of Lilo & Stitch has come under fire once again, with Disney recasting Kahiau Machado as David.
- This was following the discovery of the actor’s usage of racial slurs in the title of one of his Spotify playlists.
- Machado will be replaced by newcomer actor Kaipo Dudoit, with Disney confirming the decision to be influenced by the shocking discovery.