TIA CARRERE (Nani) tapped into her Hawaiian heritage and many years of living on the island for her vocal performance as Lilo’s older sister. Trying to strike a balance between being a responsible guardian/provider and a fun-loving teenage sister, Nani has the weight of the world on her shoulders and more than she can handle when Stitch joins her family.
"It was really cool being from Hawaii and getting to play a Hawaiian character," says Carrere. "From the first frame of the film, with the hula dance and the chanting, you’re already in Hawaii and there’s something easy and breezy about it. I was born and raised in Honolulu, so when they asked me to infuse the character with some Hawaiianisms, I put in some pidgin English like the locals speak. It’s an amalgam of the various ethnic backgrounds putting simple English words together in a specific way. There’s a different intonation to it that is kind of sing-songy.
"I definitely think having the film set in Hawaii is a plus," she adds. "When you watch it, you feel like you’re on vacation there. The surfing sequence and the hula number are awesome and it takes you back to a happy time. The Elvis music is also fantastic and adds to the flavor of a Hawaiian holiday.
"When I first met Chris and Dean, I told them I must sing in a Disney animated feature," recalls Carrere. "And they told me about this plot point where the two sisters are in a hammock and Nani has to tell Lilo that things are not working out. They hadn’t figured out how to handle the emotion of the scene yet so I suggested a lullaby as she rocks Lilo to sleep. I told them about the song my grandmother used to sing to me and said I would call her to get the lyrics. The song is ‘Aloha ‘Oe’ and it’s a really beautiful melody that says goodbye in a very accepting way. It’s always been one of my favorite Hawaiian songs. I sang it for the directors and they decided to put it in the film. I’m so happy with the way it fit in because it provides a nice quiet moment before the action begins.
"Nani definitely means well," she continues. "But she’s still a young girl herself trying to be a mother to both of them. It’s a very difficult situation but the fact that the two sisters love each other you know somehow they will make it. The Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana is all about sticking together and the family will prevail. It’s a beautiful concept and really adds to the emotional power of the film. I was very proud to be a part of it."
Carrere has stolen the hearts of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wesley Snipes and Mike Myers in her most memorable roles in "True Lies,""Rising Sun," and both installments of "Wayne’s World." Her films have scored more than $750 million combined box office worldwide. But it was probably a TV commercial that proved the most terse example of her devastating charms, when a smitten yellow M&M allowed her literally to eat him alive.
She is currently starring in the hit syndicated series "Relic Hunter." Carrere portrays Sydney Fox, an unorthodox history professor renowned for her knowledge of ancient civilizations.
Also an accomplished singer with a CD released on Warner Bros. Records called Dream, Carrere is currently working on another album and recently performed two benefit concerts for Peter Gabriel.
Movie Database
In Theaters
(1 votes)
(1 votes)
(3 votes)
(5 votes)
(130 votes)
(14 votes)
(2 votes)