Moana 2 premiere in Hawaii, where she captivated the attendees with her youthful spirit.
Kealoha embodied the tropical vibe of the event with her red floor-length dress with white leaf prints, and she enthusiastically answered questions from the media. ABC’s On the Red Carpet was there to cover the event, and Kealoha talked about her movie role. “Fun fact: When I was a little kid at 5 years old, like ‘I wanna be an actor when I grow up,’” she said on the show’s TikTok video, before sharing how she got the role of Lilo.
Over a month later, the Lilo & Stitch production team announced a casting call for the live-action movie, and Kealoha’s mother applied on behalf of her daughter. The character of Lilo was described as a “precocious Native Hawaiian girl who loves hula, surfing, and wildlife, with a special affinity for all things ‘gross’.”
When she got the role, Kealoha said she was “speechless.” She went on to say what to expect in the movie, but was careful not to reveal any spoilers. “It’s gonna be very touching, happy, exciting. There’s gonna be a lot of music and we’re gonna be like, dancing and stuff like that.” Kealoha was also full of energy, pumping a fist in the air and smiling as she said, “Pushing Mertle off the stage!” referring to Lilo’s nemesis, the spoiled and bossy Mertle Edmonds.
The short clip melted viewers’ hearts, with one saying, “She’s adorable and the perfect Lilo!” and another commenting, “She such a Lilo and I love her already. The pushing Mertle off the stage is so real and so Lilo.” Others also noticed how well-spoken Kealoha was for a 7-year-old, and how infectious her enthusiasm was. “She speaks so well and is so expressive, better than many adults… she’s so cute!” a wrote. Her missing front teeth also added to the cuteness factor.
Maia Kealoha embodies Lilo’s charm
At the same event, Kealoha talked to Entertainment Weekly about how it was acting alongside a CGI Stitch. Her trick was to “imaginate it.” “I would have to say you have to be a big imaginator to realize, like, oh, maybe I should pretend that he is real so that I can be, like, ‘Yeah, I got this, I got this.’”
Based on her interviews and how she presents herself, it’s evident that Kealoha is the perfect actress to play the fun-loving and imaginative Lilo. She is a Hawaiian native and also a hula dancer like her on-screen character. In an interview with People in June, Kealoha said her jaw “literally dropped” when she learned that she would be playing Lilo. “I rung my dad and I said, ‘I did it! I’m Lilo! I’m Lilo! And then they grabbed me and we jumped up and down. I was so excited,” she exclaimed.
Other cast include Chris Sander as the voice of Stitch, Sydney Elizabeth Agudong as Lilo’s older sister Nani, Tia Carrere as the new character Mrs. Kekoa, Courtney B. Vance as a former CIA agent-turned-social worker Cobra Bubbles, and Zach Galifianakis as the voice of Dr. Jumba Jookiba. The live-action Lilo & Stitch movie is scheduled for release on May 23, 2025.
Published: Dec 5, 2024 05:45 am