The Lilo and Stitch characters return with a mix of new faces, familiar personalities, and a few notable changes in Disney’s 2025 live-action reimagining. Maia Kealoha plays Lilo Pelekai, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong stars as her older sister Nani, and Chris Sanders — who created and voiced Stitch in the original animated movie — returns as the voice of Experiment 626.
The supporting cast includes Zach Galifianakis as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Billy Magnussen as Agent Pleakley, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubbles, Hannah Waddingham as the Grand Councilwoman, Kaipo Dudoit as David Kawena, Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa, and Amy Hill as Tūtū.
According to the official Disney Lilo & Stitch movie page, the film was released on May 23, 2025, with Dean Fleischer Camp directing. It reimagines Disney’s 2002 animated story while preserving the central relationship between Lilo, Stitch, and Nani.
Lilo & Stitch Characters and Cast at a Glance
| Character | Actor / Voice Actor | Who They Are |
|---|---|---|
| Lilo Pelekai | Maia Kealoha | A young Hawaiian girl who adopts Stitch |
| Stitch / Experiment 626 | Chris Sanders | A genetically engineered alien who becomes part of Lilo’s family |
| Nani Pelekai | Sydney Elizebeth Agudong | Lilo’s older sister and guardian |
| Dr. Jumba Jookiba | Zach Galifianakis | The alien scientist who created Stitch |
| Agent Pleakley | Billy Magnussen | An alien involved in the mission to find Stitch |
| Cobra Bubbles | Courtney B. Vance | A familiar character whose role is adjusted for the live-action story |
| Grand Councilwoman | Hannah Waddingham | A leader of the Galactic Federation |
| David Kawena | Kaipo Dudoit | Nani’s friend and part of the sisters’ support system |
| Mrs. Kekoa | Tia Carrere | A social worker involved with Lilo and Nani |
| Tūtū | Amy Hill | A neighbor and new character in the 2025 adaptation |
The live-action cast therefore combines new performers with actors who have history with the franchise. It also continues Disney’s broader run of animated properties being reworked for live action, a trend also seen across other studios in movies such as How to Train Your Dragon 2 live action.
Who Plays Lilo in Lilo & Stitch (2025)?
Maia Kealoha plays Lilo Pelekai in the 2025 live-action movie.
Lilo is the young Hawaiian girl at the center of the story. She is imaginative, independent, emotionally vulnerable, and often has trouble fitting comfortably into the world around her.
Her life changes when she encounters Stitch and believes the strange blue creature is an unusual dog rather than a dangerous genetic experiment from another world.
That misunderstanding becomes the beginning of the movie’s most important relationship.
Instead of seeing Stitch only as something dangerous, Lilo gives him a home. Their bond gradually forces Stitch to confront ideas he was never designed to understand: loyalty, affection, responsibility, and family.
Kealoha leads the live-action adaptation alongside Sydney Agudong and a computer-generated Stitch, taking over a role originally voiced by Daveigh Chase in the 2002 animated film.
Who Plays Nani in Lilo & Stitch?
Sydney Elizebeth Agudong plays Nani Pelekai, Lilo’s older sister and guardian.
Nani has one of the most emotionally demanding roles among the main Lilo & Stitch characters.
After the loss of their parents, she is not simply Lilo’s sister. She is also responsible for providing a stable home while dealing with the pressures of her own young adult life.
That creates much of the human conflict in the story.
The 2025 adaptation gives additional attention to Nani’s future and personal ambitions while maintaining her determination to protect Lilo.
Agudong replaces Tia Carrere, who originally voiced Nani in Disney’s 2002 animated film.
Carrere nevertheless remains part of the new Lilo & Stitch cast — just in a different role.
Who Voices Stitch in the 2025 Movie?
Chris Sanders voices Stitch in Lilo & Stitch (2025).
This is one of the clearest connections between the original animated film and the live-action adaptation.
Sanders co-wrote and co-directed the 2002 movie and created Stitch. He also supplied the character’s distinctive voice.
Rather than replacing him with another actor for the remake, Disney brought Sanders back to voice Experiment 626 again.
Stitch was genetically engineered to be extraordinarily strong, intelligent, resilient, and destructive. After escaping and reaching Earth, however, his encounter with Lilo begins changing his purpose.
Lilo does not initially understand what Stitch really is. She gives him a place in her family, and that relationship becomes the emotional foundation of his transformation.
Disney has also released an official video showing Sanders performing the character for the live-action production.
The Main Lilo & Stitch Characters Explained
Dr. Jumba Jookiba — Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis plays Dr. Jumba Jookiba, the eccentric alien scientist responsible for creating Experiment 626.
Jumba is a major returning character from the animated movie, although the live-action adaptation changes elements of his role.
His connection to Stitch makes him essential to the extraterrestrial side of the story.
The character was originally voiced by David Ogden Stiers in the 2002 film.
Agent Pleakley — Billy Magnussen
Billy Magnussen plays Agent Pleakley, another familiar alien character.
Pleakley becomes involved in the effort surrounding Stitch after Experiment 626 reaches Earth.
His personality contrasts sharply with Jumba’s. Pleakley is considerably more nervous about the destruction and unpredictable situations created by their mission, giving the pair much of their comic chemistry.
Cobra Bubbles — Courtney B. Vance
Courtney B. Vance plays Cobra Bubbles in the 2025 adaptation.
Viewers familiar with the animated film will immediately recognize the character’s name, although the live-action version changes aspects of how he fits into Lilo and Nani’s situation.
In the original 2002 movie, Cobra Bubbles was voiced by Ving Rhames.
The character remains an imposing presence in the new adaptation while parts of the social-services storyline are handled differently.
Grand Councilwoman — Hannah Waddingham
Hannah Waddingham voices the Grand Councilwoman, one of the most important extraterrestrial authority figures in the story.
The character originates in the 2002 animated film and is associated with the Galactic Federation and its response to Experiment 626.
Her presence reminds viewers that Stitch’s arrival in Hawaiʻi is part of a much larger intergalactic problem.
David Kawena — Kaipo Dudoit
Kaipo Dudoit plays David Kawena, another character returning from the animated movie.
David is close to Nani and becomes part of the support system surrounding the Pelekai sisters.
The live-action version keeps him in their world but adjusts elements of his relationship with Nani to suit the revised story.
Mrs. Kekoa — Tia Carrere
One of the most interesting connections between the 2002 and 2025 casts is Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa.
Carrere originally voiced Nani.
Instead of portraying Nani again, she takes a different role in the live-action adaptation as Mrs. Kekoa, a social worker involved with the Pelekai family.
It allows an important member of the original cast to remain part of the new movie without simply recreating her earlier performance.
Tūtū — Amy Hill
Amy Hill plays Tūtū, a character introduced for the 2025 live-action adaptation.
Tūtū is a neighbor who is part of the community surrounding Lilo and Nani.
Hill also has a connection to the earlier version of Lilo & Stitch: she voiced Mrs. Hasagawa in the animated movie.
The casting therefore gives the live-action film another link to the franchise’s past.
Which Characters Return From the Original Lilo & Stitch?
Most of the central Lilo and Stitch characters from the 2002 movie return in some form.
Lilo, Stitch, Nani, Jumba, Pleakley, Cobra Bubbles, David, and the Grand Councilwoman are all represented in the 2025 story.
However, that does not mean every character or relationship is identical.
Disney’s official page for the original 2002 Lilo & Stitch lists a voice cast that included Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, and Amy Hill.
Comparing the two versions reveals an interesting approach.
Chris Sanders remains the voice of Stitch, while Tia Carrere and Amy Hill return to the franchise in different roles. Most of the other major characters are portrayed by new performers.
Not every animated character makes the transition either.
One notable omission is Captain Gantu, the large Galactic Federation officer who had a major role in the original movie. The live-action adaptation restructures parts of the alien storyline instead of reproducing every event and character exactly.
New and Changed Characters in the 2025 Live-Action Movie
The 2025 Lilo & Stitch is a reimagining rather than a scene-for-scene recreation of the animated movie.
That distinction matters when comparing the two casts.
Tūtū is a new character played by Amy Hill, while Tia Carrere moves from the original voice of Nani to Mrs. Kekoa.
Cobra Bubbles remains part of the story, but his function changes. Jumba also takes on a somewhat different role, while Captain Gantu is absent.
These changes allow the remake to preserve its recognizable central family while giving the live-action version its own supporting structure.
The approach is familiar across modern adaptations: filmmakers retain recognizable characters and relationships while reconsidering how they work in another medium. CinePulse24 also examines that adaptation challenge in its The Mandalorian and Grogu review, another character-driven Disney production built around an unconventional family bond and a small extraterrestrial companion.
Watch the Official Lilo & Stitch (2025) Trailer
Want to see the new Lilo and Stitch characters in action? Disney’s official trailer introduces Maia Kealoha as Lilo, Sydney Agudong as Nani, and the live-action version of Stitch, while also offering a first look at the movie’s tropical setting, family dynamic, and sci-fi adventure.
Official video: Lilo & Stitch | Official Trailer | Disney
