Caucasian | The Adobo Chronicles

HONOLULU, Hawaii (The Adobo Chronicles) – Earlier this year, when Columbia Pictures released the film ‘Aloha,’ Asian American groups protested the casting of Caucasian actress Emma Stone as Allison Ng, a character who was supposed to be part Hawaiian.

Now it seems that the tables have been turned.

Caucasian Americans are criticizing the casting of a Native Hawaiian in the role of a Disney princess.

For many decades, Disney Pictures has always cast white or fair-skinned princesses and other characters like Elsa in ‘Frozen, ‘Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ as well as the well-loved heroines in ‘Cinderella,’ ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ and ‘Snow White.’

Not only has Disney named its latest screen character, ‘Moana,’ but it has also chosen a Native Hawaiian to be the voice behind this Polynesian princess.

Disney’s recent announcement confirmed the casting of 14-year-old Auli’i Cravalho who hails from Mililani, Oahu, as Princess Moana.

The protesters lamented the fact that by casting a person of color to play the role of Moana, Disney has broken a long-held tradition of whiteness which has always made its fictional characters click and tick among American families as well as audiences worldwide.

When asked about the protest, executives at Disney Pictures merely said, “We don’t comment on ongoing controversies about our films.”

Minneapolis, Minnesota (The Adobo Chronicles) – Target, one of the nation’s big box stores, just launched a new girls’ clothing line that it is calling Annie for Target.

The launch was perfectly timed with the showing of the film, Annie in theaters nationwide. The film stars black actress Quvenzhané Wallis in the title role.

In celebration of the iconic story, Target partnered with Sony Pictures’ “Annie” costume designer, Renée Ehrlich Kalfus, on a collection of girl’s apparel and accessories that captures the essence of the movie’s spirited characters.

There was one big problem: all the models used in the Target ads were white.

There is speculation on social media that Target refused to use black models for fear that its clothing line will not be patronized by consumers who are upset that the film stars a black instead of Caucasian actress.

Although the Annie character is fictitious, many Americans had always envisioned a white girl playing the role, just like on Broadway and in musical theaters worldwide.

In a statement issued today, Target said “this is not about race” as it prepared to launch another clothing line for adult women, Selma for Target. Its promo ads also features all Caucasian women, and is being launched in connection with the current theater run of another film, Selma, about the legendary Martin Luther King.