Lilo & Stitch cast: See who's playing who in Disney's live-action remake

Ohana means family, and Lilo & Stitch's is growing fast — with a whole new cast list.

Almost exactly 21 years after Disney's original animated version of the bad-dog-that's-actually-an-alien-that's-actually-a-robot story hit theaters in 2002, production began on a new live-action version of the film. (Filming was actually slated to begin on Oahu in April 2023, but a costume trailer caught fire the night before the first day of shooting and delayed production until May.)

The adaptation was first announced in 2018, with Mike Van Waes attached to adapt the script. In 2020, it was reported that Wicked helmer Jon M. Chu was in talks to direct. Ultimately Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell With Shoes On) was chosen to direct instead, while Chris Kekaniokalani Bright was brought in to take over writing duties.

There's no release date for the live-action film just yet, but if production stays on its originally reported schedule, principal photography should be wrapped by early August. In the meantime, here's a look at who is playing who in the new movie.

Lilo — Maia Kealoha

Newcomer Maia Kealoha will bring to life the title character that was voiced by Daveigh Chase in the original film. Lilo is raised by her sister Nani and feels like an outsider with no friends until she adopts what she thinks is a dog.

(Fun fact: Chase, who made her big-screen debut in Donnie Darko, went on to portray the terrifying TV demon Samara Morgan in The Ring.)

Stitch — Chris Sanders

It's not official just yet, but it's been reported that Chris Sanders was in final negotiations to reprise his role as the voice of Stitch for the new live-action version. Sanders started his career as a character designer for Jim Henson's Muppet Babies and first created Stitch in 1985 for an unsuccessful children's book pitch. Years later, while serving as the head storyboard artist for Disney Feature Animation, Sanders got the chance to pitch revive his now-beloved dog-alien also known as Experiment 626.

Sanders co-wrote and co-directed the 2002 version of Lilo & Stitch with Dean DeBlois, and went on to voice Stitch for the 2003 direct-to-video sequel, Stitch! The Movie; on the Disney Channel show Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-'06); as well as for two more direct-to-video sequels, 2005's Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch and 2006's Leroy & Stitch. He also voiced Mulan's pet dog, Little Brother, in the animated Mulan film and Belt the pet sloth in two Croods movies.

Nani — Sydney Agudong

Lilo's older sister and legal guardian, Nani, was voiced by Tia Carrere in the 2002 film, and will be brought to real life by On My Block actress Sydney Agudong. Born and raised in Kaua'i, Hawai'i, the NCIS guest star is also a songwriter, having released her first song, "Welcome to Hollywood," under her artist name, Jayne Doe, in 2022. She is also the sister of Star Falls and No Good Nick actress Siena Agudong.

Pleakley — Billy Magnussen

Into the Woods, Game Night, and No Time to Die actor Billy Magnussen is set to play Agent Pleakley, a Plorgonarian agent of the United Galactic Federation who serves as the organization's expert on Earth (originally voiced by The Kids in the Hall's Kevin McDonald). This isn't Magnussen's first time in a Disney live-action remake: In 2019, he portrayed Prince Anders, a new character created for Guy Ritchie's Aladdin.

Jumba — Zach Galifianakis

It was originally reported that The Hangover breakout Zach Galifianakis was to play Pleakley, but when his casting in the new movie was officially announced, it was in the role of Dr. Jumba Jookiba, the Kweltikwan mad scientist who created Stitch. The character was voiced by David Ogden Stiers, the man behind Cogsworth in 1991's Beauty and the Beast, as well as Governor Ratcliffe and Wiggins in 1995's Pocahontas.

Tūtū — Amy Hill

All-American Girl and UnREAL actress Amy Hill voiced the cat-loving fruit stand owner Lynne Hasagawa (shown above) in the 2002 animated film and Disney channel series. In the live-action movie she will play a new character, Tūtū, the longtime neighbor of Lilo and Nani, and the grandmother of David. A casting call described the character as "kind and hospitable," as well as "a warm, quick-witted woman who speaks with a local Pidgin accent."

Hill was a series regular on another remake, the recently canceled Magnum P.I., and has guest-starred on just about every TV show out there, including Seinfeld, Night Court, Six Feet Under, Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, Mom, and many more.

David — Kaipo Dudoit

Nani's surfer boyfriend, David, will be portrayed by Magnum P.I. guest star Kaipo Dudoit. Kahiau Machado was originally cast in the role but dropped from the film after past usage of racial slurs on his social media were discovered.

David was voiced in the animated version by Jason Scott Lee, who will have a small role in the live-action movie. On a late-June episode of Kyle Meredith With… podcast, Lee revealed he will play a Luau manager in the film. "I got a little, small [part]. They threw me some bones, and I said, 'Yeah, absolutely! In any capacity,'" said the actor, who stars on Disney+'s Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. "I get to see the kid that's playing my character that I voiced, David. And I'll get to see Lilo and I'll get to see Nani, the new people, the actors that are playing them. So it'll be fun."

Cobra Bubbles — Courtney B. Vance

When news dropped that the live-action team was casting a social worker named Mrs. Kekoa, fans jumped to the conclusion that Cobra Bubbles — a former CIA agent who serves as Lilo's social worker in the animated film — was written out of the live-action adaptation. But a few months later it was revealed that Tony- and Emmy-winner Courtney B. Vance had signed on to play the character originally voiced by Ving Rhames.

Mrs. Kekoa — Tia Carrere

Wayne's World and AJ and the Queen actress Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the 2022 movie, is back in the ohana — but this time playing social worker Mrs. Kekoa. The casting call for the role described the character as "a practical, by-the-book, kind, and patient woman who checks in regularly with Nani, whom she can tell is struggling to keep her head above water while taking care of her younger sister. However, she can't help but be alarmed by what she finds at the house, unnerved to think that young Lilo is not receiving the supervision she needs. Later, Mrs. Kekoa has no choice but to look for a satisfactory foster family."

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