Surprise for Lilo & Stitch fans! This Wednesday, Disney finally revealed a trailer showing several scenes from the live action film, as well as the actors who will star in the movie, including Maia Kealoha, who will bring the cute Hawaiian girl to life.
Disney had already introduced experiment 626, better known as Stitch, the adorable and fluffy alien who comes to Earth to win the heart of Lilo. But who is the actress playing the younger of the Pelekai sisters? Here’s what you need to know.
Who is Maia Kealoha?
Maia Kealoha is a seven-year-old Hawaiian actress. After an open call for a casting search to find a Hawaiian girl between the ages of six and eight, Maia was chosen to portray Lilo in the new Lilo & Stitch live action movie.
This isn’t the first production the young actress has participated in, as she has already had previous roles in films like The Wrecking Crew and Moana 2. She has also competed in beauty pageants like Little Miss Kona Coffee.
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New Lilo & Stitch live action trailer
The trailer released by Disney this Wednesday caused a stir among the fans of the film, as it revealed more details of what can be expected from the movie. In the video, just over two minutes long, experiment 626 is seen just before being sent to Earth (yes, his craziness remains the same).
Following this, Lilo (Maia Kealoha) is shown for the first time, asking a “shooting star” (which is actually Stitch landing) to bring her a friend. The footage also gives a glimpse of other characters on the beaches of Hawaii, including Nani, who will be played by actress Sydney Agudong.
The trailer also shows the quality of animation the aliens Jumba, Peakle, and the grand councilwoman will have, who will come to Earth to take Stitch back. Here’s the video:
Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. 💙
Watch the new trailer for #LiloAndStitch and see the movie, only in theaters May 23! pic.twitter.com/WJIMOpDInM
— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) March 12, 2025
When will Lilo & Stitch live action be released?
The film will be released on May 23, 2025, in theaters worldwide.
Lilo & Stitch live action: FULL list of actors
As mentioned, the live action film will star Maia Kealoha as Lilo and Sydney Agudong as Nani. It was previously stated that the role of David would be played by Kahiau Machado; however, this was later replaced.
The change occurred after an old post from the actor surfaced, where he made racist comments, resulting in heavy criticism. In light of this situation, the production chose to distance itself from him and find another actor to play Nani’s love interest.
The confirmed list of actors is as follows:
- Maia Kealoha as Lilo
- Sydney Agudong as Nani
- Chris Sanders as Stitch
- Kaipo Dudoit as David
- Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles
- Billy Magnussen as Pleakley
- Zach Galifianakis as Jumba
- Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa
- Amy Hill as Tūtū
What will the Lilo & Stitch live action movie be about?
The live action remake of Lilo & Stitch wrapped filming in March 2024 in Hawaii. As with other Disney remakes, this new version will follow the same storyline as the original 2002 animated movie.
The story follows Lilo, a Hawaiian girl who lives with her older sister, Nani, after the death of their parents. With no friends, Nani decides to take Lilo to the local shelter to adopt a dog, but they end up adopting Stitch, an alien experiment created to cause mass destruction, which leads to Lilo and Stitch having many adventures together.
