Space Jam: A New Legacy star, Zendaya, shares her thoughts on the unexpected controversy surrounding the redesign of her character, Lola Bunny. The original 1996 comedy was a live-action/animated hybrid that starred basketball icon, Michael Jordan. In the film, he joins a basketball team led by the Looney Tunes in order to help them win a game against a group of nefarious aliens. It was a blockbuster hit, earning over $250 million worldwide and spawning a beloved following that has endured since its initial release. The highly anticipated upcoming sequel follows basketball champion, LeBron James, as he tries to save his son, Dom (Cedric Joe), from the Warner 3000 Server-Verse. To do this, he teams up with Looney Tunes favorites, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Lola Bunny, who has become a member of the Amazons.
During production of Space Jam 2, director Malcolm D. Lee decided to rework the character design of Lola Bunny after finalizing the ensemble cast. In prior interviews, he shared his surprise when he first watched Space Jam, explaining his unease when he witnessed the sexual objectification of Lola Bunny. As a result, Lee focused on adding greater depth to her character by emphasizing her skills as an athlete and leader. He also sought to remove any type of unnecessary sexualization when it came to her animation design. However, when EW released its first look cover of the Space Jam 2 cast a few months ago, many online commenters reacted negatively to the change in Lola Bunny’s appearance.
While speaking to EW, Zendaya responded to the online disputes regarding Lola Bunny’s redesign. Acknowledging her personal admiration of the character, she recognized the ways in which Lola has left her mark on the Space Jam universe. Read what Zendaya said below:
I didn't know that was going to happen either! I definitely know we love her, but I didn't know it was going to be as much of a focus as it was. But I understand, because she's a lovable character. She's very important, so I get it.
In his own interview with EW, Lee described his disbelief when he saw the online fervor about Lola Bunny. He added, "I had no idea that people would be that up in arms about a bunny not having boobs.” As Lee noted, it was important for him that Space Jam 2 highlighted Lola’s personal and professional evolution without reducing her to an object. He explained that he hoped young female viewers would admire Lola and her abilities as a basketball player. Moreover, the director reached out to Zendaya for the role because he respected her business acumen and confidence, which he believed were similar attributes embodied by Lola.
Overall, it is fortunate that both Lee and Zendaya seem unperturbed by the “controversy” around the changes in Lola’s appearance. Many of the inflammatory debates regarding her redesign were largely centered on an unsettling desire to have a “sexy” female character in Space Jam: A New Legacy, even if that character was a fictional rabbit. Female objectification has become such a normalized part of the entertainment industry that, for many, removing it is somehow treated as a “punishment” or unnecessary course corrective. Lola should be able to play basketball in her comfortable shorts and jersey. She doesn’t need to be sexy to have worth.
Source: EW
