In the heart of New York City, amidst the flashing lights and ceaseless buzz, sits an 8-year-old girl who is about to change the face of one of Disney’s most beloved classics. Her name is Maia Kealoha, and she’s the star of Disney’s new live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. Next to her, a wide-eyed animatronic version of Stitch bobs his head as Maia giggles and talks about her dreams, favorite actors, and how she landed one of the most coveted roles for a child actor in recent memory.
It’s not every day that a child gets to be the centerpiece of a Disney film. It’s even rarer when that child has never appeared on a screen before. But that’s exactly what happened with Maia, who has captivated audiences and filmmakers alike not just with her performance, but with her radiant personality and unmistakable authenticity.
Maia Kealoha’s journey to the silver screen began in Hawaii, where she was born and raised. It’s fitting, really. Lilo—the quirky, spirited, and deeply empathetic little girl at the center of Lilo & Stitch—is also Hawaiian, and her island upbringing is an essential part of the story’s heart. For Maia, playing Lilo wasn’t about pretending. It was about showing up as herself.
“I was five when I sent in my first audition tape,” Maia recalls, her face lighting up with the same spark that director Dean Fleischer Camp says won her the role. “It was my first trip to Disneyland, and that’s when we got the callback for the chemistry reads. And it snowed! Like, real snow, in Disneyland. Can you believe that?”
Snow in Anaheim is about as rare as a first-time child actor landing the lead in a Disney blockbuster, but both improbabilities happened on that same day. It was, in many ways, a sign.
Director Dean Fleischer Camp remembers Maia’s audition clearly. “We saw a lot of talented kids,” he says. “But Maia was different. Most of the time, parents were dragging their kids into auditions. With Maia, it was the opposite—she was dragging them in. When she walked into the room, she lit it up.”
It wasn’t just her energy that impressed him. It was her natural ability to be in the moment. “She wasn’t performing in that overly rehearsed, cutesy way you sometimes see,” Camp says. “She was just there—honest, grounded, and completely herself.”
And that, it turns out, was exactly what the character of Lilo needed.
Lilo is not your average animated heroine. She’s quirky, headstrong, emotionally complex, and, above all, deeply loving. Her relationship with her sister Nani, and her bond with Stitch—a genetically engineered alien fugitive—form the emotional backbone of the film. Finding a child actor who could embody all of that nuance was no small feat.
But Maia brought something rare to the role: truth. “I felt like some of Lilo’s precociousness and her maturation over the course of the film only made sense for a kid who was actually that young,” Camp explains. “Ideally one who hadn’t become an actor yet and had their cuteness weaponized toward booking commercials.”
Shooting a major motion picture is no small undertaking, especially for a child who has never worked on a film set before. But according to cast and crew, Maia took it all in stride.
“She’s fearless,” says Sydney Agudong, who plays Nani, Lilo’s older sister and guardian. “She reminded me why I fell in love with acting in the first place. She was so in the moment—so real. And she asked a million questions, which I loved.”
For Maia, the process was magical. “Everyone was so nice,” she says. “Zach Galifianakis is really funny and creative. He told me to keep going on with my dreams. And Sydney taught me how to be a great big sister, because now I have a little brother! She’s just a great role model.”
Even the animatronic Stitch became a scene partner she grew fond of. “Sometimes I’d pretend he was real, and I’d talk to him even when we weren’t rolling,” she says, bursting into laughter. “He’d just nod his head like he understood.”
When asked about who she dreams of working with next, Maia doesn’t hesitate: “Oh my gosh, I would love to be in a movie with Jenna Ortega and Adam Sandler,” she says, eyes wide. “Adam Sandler is a funny one. Happy Gilmore is my favorite!”
There’s something disarming about her candidness. She talks about Sandler and Ortega not like celebrities, but like friends she genuinely admires for their creativity and presence. It’s a reminder that despite the spotlight, Maia is still just a kid with big dreams.
Her passion is matched by a maturity well beyond her years. She talks about how important it was to portray Lilo in a way that honored her culture. “We’re both Hawaiian,” she says proudly. “We love to dance hula and spend time with family.”
It’s a grounding perspective for a film that could easily have leaned into spectacle over substance. But like the original 2002 animated classic, this Lilo & Stitch is rooted in ‘ohana—the Hawaiian concept of family—and Maia brings that to life in a way that feels both timeless and urgent.
Maia’s debut is supported by a stellar cast, including Hannah Waddingham, Zach Galifianakis, and Billy Magnussen. Sydney Agudong, a Hawaiian actress and singer, plays Nani with a mixture of warmth and fierce protective energy. Tia Carrere, who originally voiced Nani in the animated film, returns in a new role as the social worker Mrs. Kekoa. And Chris Sanders, who created and voiced Stitch in the original, is back as the voice of the mischievous alien.
The film’s emotional resonance lies in these connections—between sisters, between friends, and between misfits searching for belonging. And at the center of it all is Maia Kealoha, whose breakout performance makes her impossible to ignore.
When asked whether she’d like to do a sequel, Maia’s response is immediate and enthusiastic: “Yes! A hundred percent yes. I’d love to do more with Stitch. Maybe we go to space, or he gets a puppy!”
Her imagination is boundless, and Disney would be wise to listen. Given the buzz around her performance and the warm reception the film has received so far, it’s not hard to imagine a Lilo & Stitch 2 in the works. And if that happens, Maia Kealoha will be ready.
In an industry often driven by polish, performance, and pressure, Maia Kealoha is a breath of fresh air. She reminds us that sometimes the best acting comes from children who haven’t learned to act, who don’t pretend but instead show up as themselves—open-hearted, eager, and ready to play.
It’s no wonder that both audiences and Hollywood insiders are taking notice. Maia’s story is just beginning, but she’s already made an indelible mark.
As she finishes her interview and gives the animatronic Stitch one last high-five, there’s a sense that we’re watching the start of something truly special. In Lilo & Stitch, Maia Kealoha has done more than bring a character to life—she’s shown us all what it means to lead with joy, curiosity, and love.
And if her performance is any indication, we’ll be seeing a lot more of her for years to come.
