As a wise Stitch once said, “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”
And the bond between the cast members of the live-action Lilo & Stitch wasn’t left behind or forgotten after filming ended.
“It meant so much,” Maia Kealoha, who played the titular Lilo in the remake, recently told E! News’ Francesca Amiker about making the movie. “Not only that we got to see people and meet people, we also got to create a family on set too.”
This familial connection is especially apparent between the 8-year-old and her costar Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, who portrayed Lilo’s big sister Nani onscreen and took on a sibling-like role off-camera as well.
“We got so close,” the 24-year-old added. “She’s family at this point in time. I love her family, and I am following her journey all the way to the end. She’s my baby forever.”
And Stitch—voiced by Chris Sanders in both the new film and the 2002 animated original—will always hold a place in his heart for these two castmates.
“Stitch have so much fun working with them,” the famous blue character—a.k.a. Experiment 626—gushed to E! at the press event. “They so beautiful and kind. Stitch know nobody like them. They just best people in whole world.”
However, they weren’t the only ones to grow close. Sydney also bonded with Tia Carrere, who played social worker Mrs. Kekoa in the 2025 film but portrayed Nani in the first film back in the early aughts.
“She’s incredible, and she’s also extremely down to Earth and very supportive,” Sydney raved. “She gave me specifically very good advice as far as just allowing me to be free and owning up to my own artistic expression and view of Nani in that sort of way, and she really helped me kind of find my own instincts on that. It was really cool.”
You know what else is pretty cool? The rest of the star-studded cast, who include Hannah Waddingham, Zach Galifianakis, Courtney B. Vance and Billy Magnussen.
The live-action Lilo & Stitch blasted into theaters May 23 and is available to see now. And before you surf on over to get a ticket, keep reading to learn more fun facts about Disney Easter eggs in the OG movie.
Dr. Jumba Jookiba stands on an elevated platform featuring a yellow Hidden Mickey.
Stitch’s spit is in the shape of a “D” for Disney.
The alien “hieroglyphics” above Stitch include a Hidden Mickey.
As Lilo and Nani watch a falling star, a Dumbo toy rests in the art easel.
The directors and producers write a special message on Stitch’s adoption papers.
Lilo, Nani and Stitch by a restaurant called Mulan Wok, named after the animated film.
The Orlando postcard features Cinderella’s Castle from Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
There is a Hidden Mickey Polaroid taped to Lilo’s bedroom wall.
As Stitch destroys a model of San Francisco in Lilo’s bedroom, he walks by a Hawaiian A113 license plate—a sly reference to the animators’ classroom at the California Institute of the Arts.
Nani has a Mulan poster on her bedroom wall.
Find the Hidden Mickeys among the many melons (and in the grapefruit sign).
A Hidden Mickey appears on the truck’s side mirror.
Director Dean DeBlois makes a cameo, running away as Stitch tears up the beach.
Director Chris Sanders runs past Cobra Bubbles on the beach.
Pleakley removes an octopus from his head, and the suction marks form a Hidden Mickey.
As Lilo and Stitch repair Scrump, a Hidden Mickey appears on the boot’s heel.
Dr. Jumba Jookiba sits near a poster of Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian who popularized surfing.
The firetruck’s license plate is A113—yet another reference to classroom A1-13 at CalArts.
The dashboard on Gantu’s ship reveals a Hidden Mickey.
Another A113 license plate appears, this time on a gas tanker.
Hidden Mickeys are nestled in the holly berries and included in the wrapping paper’s design.
The Pelekai family’s photos reveal their VW Beetle has an A113 license plate.
