Disney's remake of Lilo & Stitch cast a mix of familiar and fresh-faced actors to play the live-action versions of its beloved animated characters. One of the rare truly original works from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the original Lilo & Stitch was released in 2002 and was a significant sleeper hit despite its lack of preexisting source material. The theatrical feature spawned three direct-to-video sequels and an animated series on the Disney Channel. Now, as seems obligatory for every animated classic from the studio, Disney is giving Lilo & Stitch the live-action treatment.
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a number of Disney's live-action remakes. Outside the built-in familiarity with the property, the movie has no big box office draw among its cast , only one of whom is reprising their role from the original. The main players consist of newcomers while the biggest names in the ensemble appear in ing roles. Here's a look at the cast of the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, the characters they play, and what else they're known for.
Maia Kealoha As Lilo
Leading the human cast of the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, six-year-old Hawaiian actress Maia Kealoha plays the title role of Lilo Pelekai, who was originally voiced by Daveigh Chase. The precocious and mischievous young character, who lives on Kaua'i with her older sister, finds a new best friend in the form of an extraterrestrial experiment from outer space. This is Kealoha's first screen credit, but the newcomer has been in the public eye in her home state of Hawaii, where she won the 2023 Little Miss Kona Coffee pageant.
Chris Sanders As Stitch
The one person to reprise their role in the cast of the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, Chris Sanders again voices the other title character, also known as Experiment 626. Stitch is a blue, four-armed creature who es as a dog when adopted by Lilo as her pet. Sanders conceived of the idea for Lilo & Stitch, co-wrote the screenplay, and co-directed the animated feature. He continued to voice the character in subsequent movies, series, and theme park attractions that followed. His other directorial credits include How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, where he voices the character Belt, and the 2020 live-action adaptation of The Call of the Wild.
Sydney Agudong As Nani Pelekai
Nani is Lilo's older sister and legal guardian. The nineteen-year-old has her hands full as Lilo's caretaker while trying to hold down a job in the local service industry. Disney cast Sydney Agudong in the part of Nani in the live-action Lilo & Stitch remake, which turned out to be a controversial decision given her lighter skin color compared to the animated version of the character. Hailing from Kaua'i, where the movie takes place, Agudong is partly of Hawaiian descent. The actress, who is also a singer/songwriter, previously starred in the 2021 indie film West Michigan, the 2022 TV movie Infamously in Love, and a 2023 episode of NCIS.
Courtney B. Vance As Cobra Bubbles
Cobra Bubbles is a no-nonsense social worker handling the sisters' case, and he's a former CIA agent — a fact that has fans theorizing Lilo and Nani's parents were also CIA agents. Courtney B. Vance plays the character in the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, following in the footsteps of Ving Rhames, who voiced Bubbles in the original film and two sequels, and Kevin Michael Richardson, who played the character in the animated series. Vance is a two-time Emmy-winning actor best known for portraying attorney Johnnie Cochran in the O.J. Simpson-trial season of American Crime Story. He also stars in AMC's 61st Street as lawyer Frank Roberts.
Billy Magnussen As Pleakley
Actor Billy Magnussen, who was once scrutinized for being cast in an unnecessary, newly created role in Disney's live-action remake of Aladdin, will be voicing the alien agent Pleakley in the Lilo & Stitch redo. With his partner Jumba, Pleakley is tasked by his superior at the United Galactic Federation to apprehend Experiment 626, a.k.a. Stitch.
Magnussen is best known for playing CIA Agent Logan Ash in the James Bond movie No Time to Die and Ryan in the comedy Game Night. He began his career as a regular on the soap opera As the World Turns and previously appeared on-screen with his Lilo & Stitch co-star Courtney B. Vance in American Crime Story, in which he portrayed Kato Kaelin.
Zach Galifianakis As Jumba
Zach Galifianakis has been cast in the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake as Pleakley's partner, the fellow United Galactic Federation agent Jumba. Galifianakis is primarily a comedic actor best known for playing Alan in the Hangover movies, Ethan Tremblay in Due Date, and Chip Baskets on the TV series Baskets. He also notoriously hosts the irreverent talk show Between Two Ferns and starred in Netflix's feature-length spinoff, Between Two Ferns: The Movie.
Kaipot Dudoit As David Kawena
Nani's boyfriend David is considered Disney's best male animated character, so the live-action remake needed to cast someone likable in the role. Kaipot Dudoit, another relative newcomer, plays the part in the movie.
The Hawaiian actor previously appeared as a character called Keno in one episode of the Magnum P.I. reboot. In a quick recasting of the David role in Lilo & Stitch, Dudoit replaced Kahiau Machado, who had been met with backlash due to his lighter skin color compared to David's depiction in the animated movies and series.
Tia Carrere As Mrs. Kekoa
Another one of the original Lilo & Stitch voice cast to the live-action remake, Tia Carrere will play a character called Mrs. Kekoa. She had the role of Nani in the animated feature, its sequels, and the cartoon series. Originally hailing from Hawaii, Tia Carrere's best-known movie and TV roles include the love interest Cassandra in Wayne's World, the villain Juno in James Cameron's True Lies, and Dr. Sydney Fox in the TV series Relic Hunter.
Amy Hill As Tūtū
Amy Hill s Chris Sanders and Tia Carrere as one of three original Lilo & Stitch voice cast appearing in the live-action remake. She will play a new character named Tūtū. In the first movie and the animated series, she voiced the part of the elderly fruit vendor Mrs. Hasagawa. A prolific character actor, Amy Hill is best known for her roles as Mrs. Ho-Kym in Next Friday, Sue in 50 First Dates, and Kumu in the Magnum P.I. reboot series.
