Cameron Crowe's white-washed, $9 million opening weekend brick has drawn widespread criticism for his casting of the very white Emma Stone as Allison Ng. Aloha is yet another example of Hollywood putting out movies with offensively and illogically all-white casts. But unlike Exodus: Gods and Kings, someone behind this film is actually apologizing.
In a statement on his website, Crowe said:
Thank you so much for all the impassioned comments regarding the casting of the wonderful Emma Stone in the part of Allison Ng. 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.
Crowe goes on to say he's proud to have "employed many Asian-American, Native-Hawaiian and Pacific-Islanders, both before and behind the camera." But he still fails to realize how problematic it is to have every major role locked down by a white person. Instead of writing a "super-proud ¼ Hawaiian" he should have included a full Hawaiian at the center of the story set in Hawaii. Or several of them.
And, less importantly, Crowe still hasn't said he's sorry for the movie being plain awful. We're going to need that apology, too.
