People claimed that Sydney Agudong, who was playing Nani, was given a spray tan or something similar to hide the fact that they cast a mixed-race actress to play a darker-skinned indigenous Hawaiian character.
Sydney Agudong, an actress, singer, and professional songwriter, was born on the island of Kaua’i, Hawaii.
Highlights
- Audiences felt that Sydney, who has Native Hawaiian ancestry and lighter skin, wasn’t the best choice for the role and argued that it should have gone to someone with a darker complexion.
- In press releases, Sydney was referred to as a “Hawaii native,” meaning she was born in Hawaii.
- In an interview, her sister, Siena Agudong, shared that she is a mix of Caucasian, Filipino, and Polynesian ethnicity.
After graduating from high school in 2018, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams of acting and music.
In early 2024, Sydney completed filming for Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, in which she plays the iconic role of Nani.
The movie is set for a theatrical release in the summer of 2025.
Sydney’s latest project is Ether, a psychological thriller in which she stars and serves as an executive producer.
Sydney Agudong’s Casting In Lilo & Stitch Sparks Backlash Over Colorism And Confusion About Her Native Hawaiian Heritage
In 2023, the news that Sydney Agudong had been cast sparked criticism and led to discussions about colorism in the industry.
Many people thought Sydney, who has Native Hawaiian roots and lighter skin, wasn’t the right fit for the role and believed it should have gone to someone with darker skin.
This caused even more backlash because Nani’s Native Hawaiian background is a big part of the movie.
The story touches on issues such as the struggles of living in Hawaii due to the exploitation of Hawaiian culture and Nani singing “Aloha Oe,” a song written by Queen Liliʻuokalani, the last Hawaiian queen who was overthrown before the US took over the islands.
So, the audience began researching Sydney’s background and couldn’t find evidence that she is Native Hawaiian in any records, articles, or other sources.
Based on their findings, Sydney is of white and Filipino descent.
In press releases, Sydney was referred to as a “Hawaii native,” meaning she was born in Hawaii.
“Native Hawaiian” and “Hawaii native” are two different things, but many people don’t know the distinction and might assume they mean the same thing based on the wording.
Similarly, in an interview, her sister, Siena Agudong, shared that she is a mix of Caucasian, Filipino, and Polynesian ethnicity in 2019.
I am a mix of Caucasian, Filipino, and Polynesian.
Siena Agudong
Additional Information
- She is also set to lead the upcoming film At Her Feet and play supporting roles in the indie movies Trapped in a Farm House and Infamously in Love.
- Additionally, Sydney appeared as Charlize in season 4 of Netflix’s On My Block and had a guest role on an episode of NCIS.
- Sydney collaborated with FR8 Train Music Publishing, a company established under Westlake Studios, where she works as a top-liner and songwriter for sync opportunities and other artists.
