Disney’s recent live-action Lilo & Stitch remake is catching major heat—and it’s not from the Hawaiian sun! A recent Twitter reveal has fans in an uproar after learning that the remake rewrites a major part of Nani’s storyline: she gives up custody of Lilo so she can attend college on the mainland. Yes, you read that right. Nani, the strong, big sister we all loved, now hands off her sister for a shot at higher education.
In both the original and the live-action remake, Nani is left to raise Lilo after their parents’ tragic passing. But while the 2002 animated classic mentions their parents’ death (with Lilo eventually telling Stitch they died in a car crash), the new version leaves the cause a complete mystery. Add these ingredients to the mix, and boom! You got online fans arguing that the remake waters down what made the original so powerful: Nani’s sacrifice.
Just found out, in the new live action remake, they made Nani give up custody of Lilo so she can go off to college in the mainland. White people have to be stopped. pic.twitter.com/51kDY2Br9L
— I appreciate you. (@DeeLaSheeArt) May 24, 2025
In the original animated movie, Nani worked in the service industry to keep her and Lilo together. And while the live-action film keeps that similarity, it also reveals Nani’s dreams of studying marine biology. In the end, she chooses to pursue her dream by giving up custody of Lilo and going to college. However, that doesn’t mean she abandoned her—in the final scene, the sisters are both having a video call, and prove they remain close with a heart-warming interaction.
Still, the changes have triggered a much larger conversation online about cultural erasure, mainland values being imposed on a deeply Hawaiian story, and the whitewashing of trauma for the plot. In trying to modernize a story about ‘ohana, some think Disney may have missed the mark.
