# New Disney Movie demigod obesity controversy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2016, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769 "2016-06-30T12:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/41 "2016-06-30T19:34:09Z")
He looks like a Samoan dude to me. I’ve known lots of Samoan dudes, and in general, that’s just what they look like. _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/42 "2016-06-30T20:31:38Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Were you ever a fat kid? Did you ever ridicule a fat kid? No and no. Do you have a quote showing people ridiculing fat kids through a criticism of this Disney character? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/43 "2016-06-30T20:42:33Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Oh. Good. God. > > Some people would bitch if their ice cream was cold. Well … you know … brain freeze and all that. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/44 "2016-06-30T20:47:04Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > On the other hand, I could see persons of Samoan ancestry objecting portrayal of the character. Not the [person of Samoan ancestry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Johnson#Early_life) who is voicing him, though… ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/45 "2016-06-30T21:01:08Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > On the other hand, big barrel chested dude with a fat face is funnier than a traditionally handsome one and I bet his physicality will lend itself to the story / jokes. That’s basically how the Samoan comic book artist quoted in [my previous link](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/27/disney-depiction-of-obese-polynesian-god-in-film-moana-sparks-anger) analyzed the character: > [@](#): > > Samoan comic book artist Michael Mulipola posted a satirical breakdown of Maui’s body type on Facebook and Twitter, which highlighted how his physical attributes were indicative of character- and his character in the Disney film was as a comedic side-kick, not a hero. > > “Here, I’ve broken down the shapes and body types and how they inform the personalities of the characters,” he wrote. Pix at the link. So basically, Polynesian Hagrid. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/46 "2016-07-01T05:16:54Z")
Is he mocked because of his weight? If not, how is it fat shaming? It would seem more minimizing and insulting not to have any overweight characters in movies. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/47 "2016-07-01T07:38:19Z")
Maui is as real a historical figure as Robin Hood or King Arthur. He may or may not be based on an existing person, but pop culturally he can be moulded into something that suits the story being told. I can understand the cultural sensitivity that may be required for someone as significant as he is, a demi-God (though not worshipped as one, he’s not a Jesus figure, he’s more like Hercules), but at the same time you have to allow for it being a fictional portrayal designed to fit within a storytelling trope. As a Pacific Islander myself, I don’t care all that much. I’m very much looking forward to watching it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/48 "2016-07-01T10:14:08Z")
**GuanoLad** , do you happen to know what if anything the stories about Maui say about his size? I don’t see why is it a problem to have a heroic figure who doesn’t look like the goddamned cookie-cutter. For a while we had so many blonde princesses that a series about Sissi (who was very proud of her black locks) made her a blonde so the toon would match the stereotype. If Maui is pictured as big and dumb then yes, that would be offensive - but if he’s pictured as big and brave and reliable then hell yeah! Putting it in terms local to me, having Dwayne Johnson play El Cid or Ferdinand of Aragon makes no sense; having him play Sancho VII the Strong would (we’ll forgive that he’s actually a bit too short for the role). ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/49 "2016-07-01T11:59:46Z")
I suspect there are more people participating in this thread then have actually voiced public unhappiness with Disney’s depiction. BBC clickbait. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/50 "2016-07-01T12:10:14Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > **GuanoLad** , do you happen to know what if anything the stories about Maui say about his size? Not that I recall. There are a lot of stories where he interacts with people at human scale, but he’s also meant to be powerful enough to tame the sun or to pull up a fish from the sea that’s big enough to become an island, so it’s somewhat ambiguous. All the images I’ve seen of him in books has been of a strong fit person, more athletic than body-builder. But that’s just artistic interpretation. I figure if Maui’s size is approved by the actors in the movie, all Islanders themselves, then I can’t see it’s a problem. One complainant should not be worth the bother. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769/51 "2016-07-01T12:17:29Z")
If you’re willing to sit through a very dated film, [this is the version](http://audiovisual.archives.govt.nz/filmplayer/?film=greatfishofmaui) of Maui’s story I saw most often as a child, regularly played at my school. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-disney-movie-demigod-obesity-controversy/758769.md?page=2)