Unpopular Opinion: Nani from the live-action Lilo & Stitch movie isn’t the villain you think she is.
In fact, the spirit of Ohana might be even MORE alive in this version — because this time, it doesn’t come at the expense of the oldest child.
I haven’t watched the live-action Lilo & Stitch yet, but I have seen people losing it over this whole “Nani gives up custody” thing.
At first I was like — wait, WHAT?!
But then I went to Reddit to get more context and saw a little piece of info that these (let’s be real) clickbait hot takes were conveniently not sharing:
Nani doesn’t give up custody so that Lilo ends up in foster care.
An adult neighbor (I believe her boyfriend’s grandma) sees how much Nani’s been struggling playing the role of parent . . . and OFFERS to take care of Lilo so Nani can pursue her dream of going to college.
And it’s not even like Nani goes off to college and forgets Lilo exists. She actually has some kind of alien portal device that gives her the ability to teleport back and forth to visit Lilo whenever she wants!
Yes, it’s a BIG change — but honestly? It’s about damn time Nani got a break.
In the original, Nani is just 19 years old — barely out of high school.
On top of that, she’s still grieving the sudden loss of both parents.
Yet she’s expected to instantly become a full-time guardian to her 6-year-old sister.
Not to mention she has CPS already breathing down her neck, threatening to separate them.
✨Trauma✨
That’s oldest child syndrome in a nutshell: still a literal child yourself, but expected to act like a fully functioning adult because you’re “the responsible one.”
We see it all the time.
Fiona from Shameless is a textbook example — sacrificing everything to keep her siblings housed and fed . . . while getting zero support and all the blame.
And when she finally tries to do something for herself, guess what happens? People accuse her of being she’s selfish.
Sound familiar?
Nani deserved better. And this reboot gave it to her.
Another adult in the community step up and be part of their village is EXACTLY what Ohana looks like. Not just clinging to each other out of trauma — but lifting each other up so no one’s dreams get left behind.
Nani’s not abandoning Lilo. She’s investing in a future that benefits BOTH of them.
She’s doing what the animated Nani never get the chance to do: heal, grow, and dream without carrying the entire world on her back.
And she’s not doing it alone — she has support.
She has options.
She has hope.
That’s Ohana.
And let’s be real — it’s not like Nani said “F*ck that kid” and dropped Lilo off with CPS. 🤣 She was with a family friend.
Because that’s what love looks like.
When you see someone you care about drowning, you don’t just watch — you step in. You hold it down so they can catch their breath. You show up.
That’s Ohana.
Let’s normalize asking “What do you need?” — especially from the ones holding everything together — and STOP normalizing requiring self-sacrifice to prove your love.
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