Cameron Crowe Says Sorry For Emma Stone's 'Asian Character' In Aloha

Director Cameron Crowe has said he’s sorry for casting Emma Stone as the quarter Asian, quarter Hawaiian character Allison Ng in his latest movie ‘Aloha’.

Crowe, who has given barely any interviews around the movie, has come under fire for the casting choice, as well as the movie at large being accused of 'whitewashing’ the island.

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On his blog 'TheUncool’, he wrote: “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.

“If any part of her fine characterisation has caused consternation and controversy, I am the one to blame.”

“I am grateful for the dialogue,” he 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.”

He added that he was proud that the film employed locals and Hawaiian actors, but just prior to the movie’s release, he was slated by one group who accused him of 'whitewashing’.

“Caucasians only make up 30 percent of the population [of Hawaii], but from watching this film, you’d think they made up 99 percent,” said Guy Aoki of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans.

“This comes in a long line of films - ‘The Descendants’,‘50 First Dates’, ‘Blue Crush’, ‘Pearl Harbour’ - that uses Hawaii for its exotic backdrop but goes out of its way to exclude the very people who live there.

“It’s an insult to the diverse culture and fabric of Hawaii.”

It’s just the latest in a series of calamities befalling the star-laden comedy drama.

Even before its release, emails emerged from the Sony hack which saw former studio boss Amy Pascal slamming its lack of direction.

“I’m never starting a movie again when the script is so ridiculous”, she said. “And we al (sic) know it. I don’t care how much I love the director and the actors. It never not even once works.”

Thus far, the film, which stars Bradley Cooper as a defence contractor who falls for Stone’s Air Force pilot, alongside Bill Murray, Rachel McAdams and Alec Baldwin, has been slammed by critics, languishing with just an 18% approval rating on reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s also taken a financial hit too. So far it’s made back only $10.5 million from its $37 million production budget.

Image credits: Columbia Pictures/Reuters