While any updates on the upcoming project have seemed to remain hidden from fans, originalLilo and Stitchstar Tia Carrere is revealing what she wishes to see fromDisney’s live-action remake of the film. Carrere was the voice actress in the animated movie for the character of Nani Pelekai, the older sister to the titular character of the film, six-year-old Lilo.
In the originalDisneyfilm, Nani struggles to raise Lilo following the sudden, tragic death of their parents in a car crash. Nani finds herself suddenly having to become the maternal figure to the rebellious, free-spirited Lilo. It seems as though every time Nani and Lilo are just able to conquer the troubled waters and ride the wave, another one comes crashing, knocking them back down - leaving them floundering for shore and a sense of security. Their world gets even more shaken up when the alien creature Stitch lands on Earth, with Lilo begging Nani to take him in as a pet before learning that a mad scientist and the Galactic Federation are trying to capture and bring him back to space. The rest of thecast forLilo and Stitchincluded Daveigh Chase as Lilo, co-writer/co-director Chris Sanders as Stitch, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Jason Scott Lee, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Ving Rhames.Lilo and Stitchmade its theatrical debut in the summer of 2002 and was instantaneously met with rave reviews and adoration from critics and audiences alike.
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Lilo and Stitchalso scored big at the box office as well, bringing in over $273 million against an $80 million budget. The hit Disney movie’s success naturally evolved over time into the making of a franchise, complete with direct-to-video sequels and TV spinoffs. Now, with the live-action remake reportedly on its way, the franchise is finally growing and expanding even further. While speaking withCinemaBlendin honor of the original film’s 20th anniversary, Carrere shared her thoughts onDisney’s live-action remake.
The Nani voice actress expressed her wishes for the project, conveying her desire to see more genuine Hawaiian representation, especially when it comes to the line-up of musical performers on the film’s soundtrack this time around. “I wish I could have sung more songs. I want to do a racking guitar song. There are so many great songs [on the soundtrack] and I got to do that on my Grammy-winning Hawaiian music, so it’s fine. It worked out all OK in the end, but I would’ve liked to have seen more local people, including myself, performing on the soundtrack," she stated. “I had my one little scratch track of ‘Aloha Oe’ that I sang at eight o’clock in the morning without anything to it, but it was poignant and pure, and I’m just glad that I was included with that.”
Although the originalLilo and Stitchsoundtrack did feature a few songs from Hawaiian artists and was performed with the Kamehameha Schools Children’s Chorus, the majority of the film’s music was composed of non-Hawaiian artists. Most of the original soundtrack consisted of fivesongs from Elvis Presley, as well as two of his songs that had been re-recorded by Wynonna Judd and the A-Teens. Fingers crossed that Disney makes sure to correct some of their wrongs and doesn’t just utilize the paradise backdrop of Hawaii for the film, but also makes sure they are accurately representing the Hawaiian culture and community - as well as paying homage to them by featuring their music, from local artists.
Lilo and Stitch(2002) is now available on Disney Plus.
