The cast of Disney's live-action remake Lilo & Stitch joined fans at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 26, for a fun discussion about their favorite memories making the hit film.
Chris Sanders, creator of the 2002 Lilo & Stitch animated film and the voice of Stitch, was joined by Maia Kealoha (Lilo), Tia Carrere (Mrs. Kekoa), and Sydney Agudong (Nani) to share fun facts and behind-the-scenes footage.
One of the most surprising revelations was that Stitch was originally designed to be green rather than blue. Sanders, 63, explained that the character's design was inspired by his own artwork from art school, around 15 years before he and Dean DeBlois began creating the 2002 animated film.
"What if one of our villains became a hero?" Sanders said, explaining the idea that sparked the film. The character's redemption from menacing to mischievous was key to the story, and Sanders emphasized the importance of family - or ʻohana - in the film.
Agudong, 24, revealed that she and her sister Siena were both considered for the role of Nani. "I don't know if this is known to a lot of people, but it was down to my sister and I for Nani," she said.
Agudong praised her sister and expressed her gratitude for getting the role, saying, "My relationship to my sisters is everything to me. I hold them so, so dear and I would do anything for them."
Kealoha, 8, was praised by the panelists for her energy and enthusiasm on set. She admitted to pulling pranks on everyone, including director Dean Fleischer Camp and her own mother.
"She would greet me with, ‘Hello dummy!’" recalled Zach Galifianakis in a behind-the-scenes video. Kealoha also shared her favorite activity between takes: greeting the CGI Stitch puppet with a smooch.
"Every day I would kiss his nose," she said, which ended up becoming a special moment in the movie between Lilo and Stitch.
The film has reached a major box-office milestone, surpassing $1 billion in global ticket sales. It's the first Hollywood film to do so in 2025, and marks Disney's fourth $1 billion-plus effort over the past 13 months.