According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney has found its live-action Nani for its upcoming Lilo & Stitch remake.
On My Block actress Sydney Elizabeth Agudong will portray the role of Lilo’s older sister Nani, a character previously voiced by Grammy winner Tia Carrere in the original animated film. This marks the Hawaii-born actress’s first major feature after making brief appearances on TV shows such as the Netflix comedy On My Block and the long-running police drama NCIS.
The live-action Lilo & Stitch movie will be directed by Oscar nominee Dean Fleischer Camp from a screenplay written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright. Agudong, as the live-action Nani, will be joining previously announced cast members Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnussen, with newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo. The adaptation is produced by Rideback’s Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Ryan Halprin executive producing.
“Lilo is a lonely Hawaiian girl who adopts a small ugly ‘dog,’ whom she names Stitch,” reads the original animated film’s synopsis. “Stitch would be the perfect pet if he weren’t in reality a genetic experiment who has escaped from an alien planet and crash-landed on Earth. Through her love, faith, and unwavering belief in ohana, the Hawaiian concept of family, Lilo helps unlock Stitch’s heart and gives him the ability to care for someone else.”
Originally released in 2002, Lilo & Stitch is Disney’s 42nd animated feature. It featured the voices of Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Jason Scott Lee. The film was both a box office and critical success with a worldwide gross of over $270 million. It also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.