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LOS ANGELES, June 3 (UPI) -- Writer-director Cameron Crowe is responding to criticism regarding his casting of Emma Stone as a part-Asian character in his new film Aloha, which earned lukewarm reviews. "Thank you so much for all the impassioned comments regarding the casting of the wonderful Emma Stone in the part of Allison Ng," Crowe wrote in an essay posted on his website Tuesday.
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"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," he explained. "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."
The Say Anything, Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous filmmaker went on to say he is grateful for the discussion Aloha generated.
"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 concluded.
