Who is playing Nani in the live-action Lilo and Stitch?

Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch is a remake of the 2002 animated film. It is set to be released on May 23, 2025 in theatres. It is directed by Dean Fleischer Camp and written by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes. The original film is about Lilo, a young Hawaiian girl, who becomes friends with a strange blue creature named Stitch, unaware that he is an escaped alien experiment.

The film will use CGI and live-action to bring Stitch and other alien characters to life. The film has many characters from the original movie, and one of them is Nani. Nani is shown as a strong, independent, and loving person. Let’s take a look at Nina’s character and the actress who plays her.

Who is playing Nani in the live-action Lilo and Stitch?

Sydney Agudong will be playing Nani in the film. Agudong is an American actress and singer, born on November 13, 2000, in Kauai, Hawaii, United States. She moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue acting and singing. She made her acting debut in the short film Second Chances in 2013. She made her feature film debut in West Michigan in 2021. Apart from that, she has also worked in films like Infamously in Love (2022), Terminally Unique (2023), Trapped in the Farmhouse (2023), At Her Feet (2024), etc.

She has also worked in TV shows like On My Block (2021), Find Millie Martin (2022), and NCIS (2022). Apart from acting, she is also a musician and her stage name is Jayne Doe. She also shares her music and covers of popular songs on her social media. In 2025, she will be seen playing Nani in the live-action Lilo and Stitch. At Kaua'i Comi-Con 2024, she talked about Lilo and Stitch and said, “I am an OG fan. It came out in 2002, and my mom and dad can proclaim to, we have this country fair, and the Kaua'i County Fair has this healthy baby contest, and I think I was one year old and the thing I decided to dress up as for my first contest ever was Lilo.”

She also talked about Nani’s character and said, “It has got this mix of family and aliens, and it is Hawai'i. Like what? Growing up Nani was the big sister that I looked up to, and she honestly was the someone I idolized and also was a little bit intimidated by. She is kind of a bad b****. I think when I ended up getting the audition, I was kind of like, 'No way I am going to get this. Whatever.’ But I connected to the sister."

Who is Nani in Lilo and Stitch?

Nani Pelekai is one of the main characters of the film. She is the 19-year-old older sister and legal guardian of Lilo, a 6-year-old girl who befriends an alien experiment, Stitch. After the passing away of their parents, Nani takes on the responsibility of raising Lilo on her own. She was struggling to raise Lilo while maintaining her grades and her job. Despite her struggles, Nani is protective of Lilo and tries her best to take care of her.

She works hard to keep their family together while dealing with pressure from social services, especially from Cobra Bubbles, a social worker who is assigned to check if she can take care of Lilo. He threatens to separate them and take Lilo to foster care. Nani's relationship with Lilo is filled with sibling fights and emotional moments. In the film, Nani’s love interest is David Kawena, who is a supportive friend who cares deeply for her and Lilo.

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