Cameron Crowe Apologizes for Casting Emma Stone as ‘Allison Ng’ in Aloha
Aloha was supposed to be writer/director Cameron Crowe’s long-awaited return to greatness. But that was long before the Sony Pictures hack revealed that the project was a giant mess. Then, when it was finally released this past weekend, it took in less than $10 million at the box office and failed to crack the top five.
On top of all that, critics have been hammering the film for not only being incoherent but also the decision to cast Emma Stone as Caption Allison Ng, a character whose heritage is supposed to be part Chinese and part Hawaiian. Stone is 100% white. And blonde. With blue eyes.
A handful of headlines say it all:
Casting Emma Stone As Allison Ng in Aloha Should Have Been a Great White Nope
Emma Stone Playing a Half-Asian Character in Aloha: Literally Why
I’m not buying Emma Stone as an Asian-American in Aloha
Emma Stone: the whitest Asian person Hollywood could find
Crowe has heard the criticism and responded Wednesday with a note on his personal website that was equal parts defensive and apologetic.
“From the very beginning of its appearance in the Sony Hack, ‘Aloha’ has felt like a misunderstood movie. One that people felt they knew a lot about, but in fact they knew very little,” Crowe began, before thanking viewers for their “impassioned comments regarding the casting of the wonderful Emma Stone in the part of Allison Ng.”
He continued:
I have heard your words and your disappointment, and I offer you a heart-felt apology to all who felt this was an odd or misguided casting choice. As far back as 2007, Captain Allison Ng was written to be a super-proud ¼ Hawaiian who was frustrated that, by all outward appearances, she looked nothing like one. A half-Chinese father was meant to show the surprising mix of cultures often prevalent in Hawaii. Extremely proud of her unlikely heritage, she feels personally compelled to over-explain every chance she gets. The character was based on a real-life, red-headed local who did just that.
Whether that story point felt hurtful or humorous has been, of course, the topic of much discussion. 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.
Crowe also defended Stone, who he said “was chief among those who did tireless research, and if any part of her fine characterization has caused consternation and controversy, I am the one to blame.”
“I am grateful for the dialogue. And from the many voices, loud and small, I have learned something very inspiring,” the filmmaker concluded. “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.”
Before the film’s release, the Media Action Network for Asian Americans accused it of “whitewashing” Hawaii’s diverse population. In response, a representative for Sony Pictures said, “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.”
Watch the Aloha trailer below, via Sony:
[Photo via Sony]
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