Lilo & Stitch's Cast Reveals Who Was The Set Prankster. It Was None Other Than…
The cast of Disney's live action movie Lilo & Stitch gathered at San Diego Comic-Con on July 26. At the event, they shared some fun behind-the-scenes stories, adorable moments and even gave fans an exciting update on the sequel to the superhit movie. Maia Kealoha, who plays Lilo, Tia Carrere (Mrs. Kekoa) and Sydney Agudong (Nani), along with Chris Sanders, the creator of the 2002 Lilo & Stitch animated film and the voice behind Stitch, were in attendance.
Lilo & Stitch, which was released on May 23, has become a huge box office hit of 2025. It grossed over $1 billion worldwide in July and has joined Disney's growing list of billion-dollar blockbusters alongside Moana 2, Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2. Here's what the cast shared about at Comic-Con.
Stitch Was Envisioned Green
Chris revealed that Stitch, the extraterrestrial agent, was originally envisioned green and not blue, living in a forest. He created earlier sketches of the character while he was still in art school. And the story came to life when he began adding twists on typical tropes. ''What if one of our villains became a hero?' That was the engine that started the whole thing," he shared.
The Agudong Sisters Competed For The Role Of Nani
At the panel, actress Sydney Agudong, who played Nani in the live-action film, shared, 'I don't know if this is known to a lot of people, but it was down to my sister and I for Nani." She recalled that when she bagged the role, the first thing she wanted to do was to hug her sister Sienna. Besides her, Sydney also became an elder sister to Maia Kealoha, both on-screen and off-screen.
Maia Kealoha Was The Set Prankster
Eight-year-old Maia Kealoha, who portrays Lilo in the film, loved pulling pranks on the sets, as told by her castmates. She pranked everyone, from the film's director Dean Fleischer Camp to her own mother. Actor Zach Galifianakis, who was the voice behind Dr. Jumba Jookiba, said in a BTS video, 'She would greet me with, 'Hello dummy!' And I thought, 'I really like this kid.'"
Maia Kealoha Bonded With Stitch
Even though Stitch is all CGI, Maia had a puppet to act with during the shoot. She recalled how she set a tradition of planting a kiss on it every day on the set. 'Every day I would kiss his nose," she said, which eventually became a heartfelt moment in the film.
Lilo & Stitch 2 Officially In Works
Following the success of Lilo & Stitch, the makers announced its sequel on June 26, a nod to the alien character's moniker, Experiment 626. In an Instagram video, Stitch was seen driving a pink-coloured convertible with '2 FAST" as the license plate. 'Should've known he couldn't keep a secret. A 626-day surprise: #LiloAndStitch 2 is now in development!" read the caption.
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'I have begun writing it," said Chris at the event. Lilo & Stitch 2 is expected to hit theatres sometime in 2026.
First Published:
July 26, 2025, 17:32 IST
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