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Lilo & Stitch had considerable success back when it was released in 2002. Even among big releases like Men in Black II, and Minority Report, it was able to claim its place at the top from the opening weekend itself. So, it was only a matter of time before it got a remake to replicate its success again on the big screen.
Disney has been showing a trend of turning its animated movies into live-action remakes for the past few years, and Lilo & Stitch is no exception. The live-action remake is set to be released in 2024. After revealing Sydney Agudong as the cast member for Nani, Disney has reportedly cast Kahiau Machado, a newcomer, as David Kawena, the love interest of Nani in Lilo & Stitch.
Apart from that, Kahiau Machado, Maia Kealoha, and Zach Galifianakis are also rumored to be joining join the cast. Maia Kealoha is supposedly cast as Lilo, and Zach Galifianakis might be seen as Galactic Federation agent Wendy Pleakley. It is to be noted that Disney has not yet commented on the cast of Lilo & Stitch. Only time will bring the official news.
Zach Galifianakis' reported role as Pleakley and 5 more things about the cast and crew of Lilo & Stitch
1) Sydney Agudong as Nani
Actress Sydney Agudong is reportedly playing the character of Nani from Lilo & Stitch. The biracial actress is a native Hawaiian who grew up in Kaua'i. So far, however, this casting choice has seen more controversy than an open welcome.
Nani's character in the animated series has a much darker skin tone with prominent ethnic features. Sydney Agudong’s lighter skin tone has riled up many audience members to accuse Disney of colorism and whitewashing. While many argue that she is technically also a native of Hawaii, like the character, many hope that Disney did not make this choice because Sydney Agudong is white-passing.
2) Zach Galifianakis as alien member Pleakley
Rumors of Zach Galifianakis being cast as an alien member have been floating around since February. It has been one of the first revelations about the cast. Initially, The Wrap confirmed that he had been cast as Pleakley, the alien character originally voiced by Kevin McDonald.
Zach Galifianakis is known for his Hangover movies and cult classic talk show Between Two Ferns. He has also lent his voice to animated movies like Big Mouth, Ron’s Gone Wrong, and Missing Link.
If the reports turn out to be true, this time, he would be at the forefront and take up a live-action character from the animated movie Lilo & Stitch, and the audience would be excited to see what he might bring.
3) Kahiau Machado as David Kawena
The newcomer may debut with the movie, as the actor has no dedicated IMDb page so far. He would be playing the role of David Kawena in Lilo & Stitch, the cool surfer who falls in love with Nani. Disney has not made any comments about the casting.
Machado has a history of athletics, much like his character David Kawena. He was part of the University of Hawaii Warriors men's volleyball team. Machado is a native Hawaiian from Kane'ohe, O'ahu. He is also 6’2” and would be perfect for playing David Kawena’s surfer role.
4) Billy Magnussen in an undisclosed role
According to Deadline, Billy Magnussen will also be featured in Lilo & Stitch. However, his role is unknown to the general audience. He has previously worked with Disney in Aladdin as Prince Anders.
He has had a diverse acting career with movies and TV shows like Game Night, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, No Time to Die, and The Many Saints of Newark. Only time will tell what he brings to the table in this movie.
5) Maia Kealoha as Lilo
Another newcomer, Maia Kealoha, is set to be cast as Lilo in the upcoming Lilo & Stitch remake. She will be making her acting debut with this movie. She has been a part of Little Miss Kona Coffee pageants which would probably work in her favor in front of the camera.
She also has experience with Tahitian dancing, which is a bonus. Since Lilo is a big fan of dancing, Kealoha’s passion for dancing would bring authenticity to the role.
6) Chris Kekaniokelani Bright & Dean Fleischer Camp as writer and director
Chris Kekaniokelani Bright, who has previously worked on Disney’s Moana, will write the upcoming movie, making this his writing debut.
In 2020, the talk of the town was that Jon M. Chu would be directing Lilo & Stitch. However, later on, Dean Fleischer Camp was hired for the role. He was recently a contender for the Oscars with his film Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, an animated feature film. Other than that, he has also worked on movies like Fraud and Science Fair.
Lilo & Stitch will be released on May 10, 2024. The movie has become one of the most anticipated films of the year, even though it is set to be released nearly a year later. The audience is waiting to see how this live-action movie complements the Hawaiian culture through its art.
