Latest news with #JaleneKananiBell
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
'Lilo & Stitch' love action remake actor David HK Bell dies
Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell, who recently appeared in the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch and in shows like Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0, has died. Bell's sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Monday. The cause of death has not been announced by her or anyone else. "It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father," Jalene Kanani Bell wrote in a Facebook post. Bell is popularly known for playing Big Hawaiian Dude, a character who comedically drops his shaved ice dessert at the sight of an alien portal in the live-action remake of Disney's Lilo & Stitch. Bell recently shared photos from the movie set on Instagram, as well as a clip from his audition. In the post, he shared a video of his iconic scene of dropping an ice cream. Bell, Variety reported, was from Kaimuki and studied at Kalani High School. He was living in Waimea prior to his death and had worked as an assistant airport superintendent at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Lilo & Stitch star tragically dies weeks after movie's release
A Lilo and Stitch star has died just weeks after his big screen debut with heartbroken tributes pouring in. Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell sadly passed away with his sister Jalene Kanani Bell, announcing the shocking news in a heartbreaking post on Facebook. She said: 'It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father. 'I've been waiting for the words and mindset to properly express the joy of a human, and Prince of a Man he was, but fate pushed my hand this morning by a pre-scheduled Father's Day newsletter honouring the men in our lives. 'He was and will remain a bright and shining star. He recently made it on to the big screen with an iconic Lilo & Stitch moment.' Bell was credited in the Lilo & Stitch live-action adaptation as the character 'Big Hawaiian Dude.' His cause of death has not yet been revealed. But his sister revealed that Bell treated the family to a screening of the live-action show after its release just weeks ago. She added: 'He planned ahead and purchased the best seats in the house for us all to go together to opening night in Kapolei just two short weeks ago. 'Hug your loved ones today … our last time together after returning home from the movie was just sitting on my living room couch talking story about life, having a seltzer and doing a little genealogy. 'Blessed by this and all the big and small moments. 'I will keep our memories alive.' The actor's representative, Lashauna Downie, told TMZ that she only learned of Bell's passing through social media. She called Bell a 'gentle giant' and called his passing both 'heartbreaking' and 'sad.' 'I am learning like you through social media,' Downie told the outlet. 'This is heartbreaking & sad. 'He was one of my best talent & embodied the true meaning of aloha … a gentle giant.' Proud Hawaiian Bell was known locally for his voice work over the P.A. system at Kona Airport. Bell previously starred in TV shows such as Magnum P.I. and Hawaii Five-0. Tributes from fans have poured in on social media since Bell's passing. One wrote: 'So sad! What a loss for his family, friends and fans.' Another said: 'RIP young star.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Lilo & Stitch' Actor, 57, Dies Weeks After Live-Action Remake Release
Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell, who starred in the recently-released live-action remake of the children's Disney classic Lilo & Stitch, has tragically died. He was 57 years old. 'It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father,' the actor's sister, Jalene Kanani Bell shared in an announcement on social media. 'I've been waiting for the words and mindset to properly express the joy of a human, and Prince of a Man he was, but fate pushed my hand this morning by a pre-scheduled Father's Day newsletter honoring the men in our lives,' she continued in her statement released on June 15. The film, which was released in the U.S. on May 23, stars Bell as Big Hawaiian Dude. Jalene shared that he had treated her and the rest of his family to a screening of the film just 'two short weeks' before he passed. Bell was a Hawaiian local who went to Kalani High School and was living in Waimea prior to his death. He had previously held minor TV roles, appearing in episodes of Hawaii Five-O and Magnum P.I.. 'David loved being an actor, doing voiceovers,' Jalene continued in her online post. 'The film industry and entertainment was so exciting to him and I loved that he enjoyed the arts.' She added that it's Bell's voice passengers hear over the PA system on arrival at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, where he previously worked as an assistant airport superintendent. Bell's role as 'Big Hawaiian Dude' in the Lilo & Stitch remake sees him comedically drop his shaved ice as an alien portal opens up. He was enthusiastic about the opportunity to star on the big screen, posting to Instagram at the end of last month to share his excitement. 'Now, Mahalo to everyone who worked on this film! I knew it would be special to attend a Cast and CREW screening and it didn't disappoint!' Bell wrote. 'It was so awesome to see so many of the true stars in my opinion, our local crew in Hawaii.' Bell's cause of death has not been announced.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Lilo & Stitch 'and 'Hawaii Five-O' actor David Hekili Kenui Bell dies at 57
Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell, best known for his appearances in the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch and Hawaii Five-O has died, his sister announced on Facebook. He was 57. "It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father," Jalene Kanani Bell posted Sunday. "I've been waiting for the words and mindset to properly express the joy of a human, and Prince of a Man he was, but fate pushed my hand this morning by a pre-scheduled Father's Day newsletter honoring the men in our lives." David H.K. Bell had accumulated a handful of credits, including having played an unnamed character in last month's hit Lilo & Stitch, as well as Issac on a 2014 episode of the Hawaii Five-O reboot, and Manu Saluni on two episodes of the Magnum P.I. reboot in 2018 and 2019. He was set to appear in the upcoming project The Wrecking Crew, alongside Jason Momoa and Morena Baccarin, according to IMDb. The sister noted that his voice is the one used at Kona International Airport, where he "loved working to create an awesome and safe customer experience." She added, "He was and will remain a bright and shining star." She recalled having celebrated his Disney debut with him just last month. "He planned ahead and purchased the best seats in the house for us all to go together to opening night in Kapolei just two short weeks ago," she wrote. "That's one trait we didn't share, planning ahead:) We talked about and were so energized by the fans dressed in L&S gear head to toe, t-shirts, onezees, hats, mask, and the merch galore flying off the shelf as we stood in line for pop-corn." Disney's live-action take on its 2002 film Lilo & Stitch was a big hit at the box office, where it took first place for three weeks in a row. It came in at No. 2 over the weekend, having earned an incredible $858.3 million at the global box office so far. Jalene Kanani Bell did not explain her brother's cause of death, but she did delve into their strong connection. "I met my little brother at the age of 18, on my high school graduation day," she wrote, "it was the most amazing surprise which I had been asking for for years, that our mom's made happen for us, and that gift has lasted a lifetime. While I didn't grow up with a Father, David gave me all the unconditional love I could possibly ask for and I believe that all his family and friends received the same from him." Bell noted that her brother "loved being an actor, doing voiceovers, spending time with Brutus traveling as an ambassador for Kona Brew. The film industry and entertainment was so exciting to him and I loved that he enjoyed the arts. He went to Punahou and Kalani while our dad spoke Hawaiian so his ability to deliver lines with English understanding, Indigenous knowledge and Pidgen to da Max…made him a diamond in the rough." Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the late actor's rep. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
David Hekili Kenui Bell death: Lilo & Stitch star dies
David Hekili Kenui Bell, best known for his appearance in Disney's live-action Lilo & Stitch, has died. News of his death was shared on Facebook by his sister Jalene Kanani Bell. No cause of death has been shared. 'It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H K Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father,' she wrote. On Lilo & Stitch, he played a character named Big Hawaiian Dude, a nod to the Ice Cream Man – a running gag in the animated films, where a hapless tourist repeatedly drops his ice cream before he can eat it. In the 2025 live action version, Big Hawaiian Dude drops his shaved ice when he sees Zach Galifianakis's Jumba and Billy Magnussen's Pleakley open the portal to the island. Two weeks ago, Bell had shared a video of his audition tape for Big Hawaiian Dude, along with several behind-the-scenes photos from the set. In a previous Instagram post, he gave a shout out to the cast and crew from the film, writing: 'Now, Mahalo to all who worked on this film! I knew it would be special to attend a Cast and CREW screening and it didn't disappoint! Was so awesome to see so many of the true stars in my opinion, our local crew in Hawaii. They deserve just as much or more recognition! Was also happy to see so much of the cast, especially those of us that round out the world of live-action Lilo & Stitch that the filmmakers so masterfully constructed. Until the next one, Ohana!' According to Bell's bio, he had also appeared in episodes of Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum PI. His IMDb page also lists that he was working on Amazon MGM Studios' forthcoming film The Wrecking Crew, which also stars Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa. His sister's message also shared: 'David loved being an actor, doing voiceovers, spending time with Brutus traveling as an ambassador for Kona Brew. The film industry and entertainment was so exciting to him and I loved that he enjoyed the arts. He went to Punahou and Kalani while our dad spoke Hawaiian so his ability to deliver lines with English understanding, Indigenous knowledge and Pidgen to da Max … made him a diamond in the rough. 'You can hear him over the PA system on arrival at Kona Airport where he loved working to create an awesome and safe customer experience.'
