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Cameron Crowe apologises for casting Emma Stone as 'part-Asian' in Aloha Cameron Crowe apologises for casting Emma Stone as 'part-Asian' in Aloha
(35 minutes later)
Cameron Crowe has apologised for casting the white actor Emma Stone as a “part-Asian” Hawaiian in controversial “whitewashed” romance Aloha.Cameron Crowe has apologised for casting the white actor Emma Stone as a “part-Asian” Hawaiian in controversial “whitewashed” romance Aloha.
Crowe addressed the issue on his blog after diversity campaigners took him to task for allegedly failing to recognise that Asian-Pacific Islanders make up the majority of the state’s population. The casting of Stone as the supposedly quarter Asian and quarter Hawaiian Allison Ng drew particular criticism. Crowe addressed the issue on his blog after diversity campaigners took him to task for allegedly failing to recognise that Asian-Pacific Islanders make up the majority of the state’s population. The casting of Stone as the quarter Asian and quarter Hawaiian character Allison Ng drew particular criticism.
Related: Emma Stone: the whitest Asian person Hollywood could findRelated: Emma Stone: the whitest Asian person Hollywood could find
“Thank you so much for all the impassioned comments regarding the casting of the wonderful Emma Stone in the part of Allison Ng,” Crowe wrote. “I have heard your words and your disappointment, and I offer you a heartfelt apology to all who felt this was an odd or misguided casting choice.”“Thank you so much for all the impassioned comments regarding the casting of the wonderful Emma Stone in the part of Allison Ng,” Crowe wrote. “I have heard your words and your disappointment, and I offer you a heartfelt apology to all who felt this was an odd or misguided casting choice.”
The film-maker said he had based Ng on a real life redhead Hawaiian who always struggled to explain her unlikely ethnicity. He took the blame for the decision entirely upon himself and praised Stone for her “tireless research”. The film-maker said he had based Ng on a real-life redheaded Hawaiian who always struggled to explain her unlikely ethnicity. He took the blame for the casting decision entirely upon himself and praised Stone for her “tireless research”.
“Whether that story point felt hurtful or humorous has been, of course, the topic of much discussion,” he said. “However I am so proud that in the same movie, we employed many Asian-American, Native-Hawaiian and Pacific-Islanders, both before and behind the camera … including Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele, and his village, and many other locals who worked closely in our crew and with our script to help ensure authenticity.“I am grateful for the dialogue,” the director continued. “And from the many voices, loud and small, I have learned something very inspiring. So many of us are hungry for stories with more racial diversity, more truth in representation, and I am anxious to help tell those stories in the future.”“Whether that story point felt hurtful or humorous has been, of course, the topic of much discussion,” he said. “However I am so proud that in the same movie, we employed many Asian-American, Native-Hawaiian and Pacific-Islanders, both before and behind the camera … including Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele, and his village, and many other locals who worked closely in our crew and with our script to help ensure authenticity.“I am grateful for the dialogue,” the director continued. “And from the many voices, loud and small, I have learned something very inspiring. So many of us are hungry for stories with more racial diversity, more truth in representation, and I am anxious to help tell those stories in the future.”
Related: Aloha review – inspiration overdose at the pixie-dust buffetRelated: Aloha review – inspiration overdose at the pixie-dust buffet
Aloha stars Bradley Cooper as a defence contractor who falls for Stone’s US Air Force pilot after being assigned to oversee the launch of a military satellite from Hawaii. The cast also features Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray and Alec Baldwin.Aloha stars Bradley Cooper as a defence contractor who falls for Stone’s US Air Force pilot after being assigned to oversee the launch of a military satellite from Hawaii. The cast also features Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray and Alec Baldwin.
Studio Sony had initially tried to defend itself against whitewashing claims by the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA). “While some have been quick to judge a movie they haven’t seen and a script they haven’t read, the film Aloha respectfully showcases the spirit and culture of the Hawaiian people,” the studio said last week. The film’s studio, Sony, had initially tried to defend itself against whitewashing claims by the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA). “While some have been quick to judge a movie they haven’t seen and a script they haven’t read, the film Aloha respectfully showcases the spirit and culture of the Hawaiian people,” it said last week.
Aloha opened at No 6 at the US box office with a flat $10m at the weekend, on par with Cameron’s previous film We Bought a Zoo, which went on to make $120m. However, the movie has suffered the worst reviews of the Almost Famous film-maker’s career, currently rating just 18 per cent “rotten” on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Aloha opened at No 6 in the US box office chart with $10m at the weekend, on par with Cameron’s previous film, We Bought a Zoo, which went on to make $120m. However, the movie has suffered the worst reviews of the Almost Famous film-maker’s career, currently rating just 18 per cent “rotten” on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.