'Lilo & Stitch' stars reflect on film's success

SAN DIEGO — A few things have changed for the stars of "Lilo & Stitch" since the movie became the breakout hit of 2025. For 8-year-old star Maia Kealoha, it's meant no more Doritos – she's learned she has to keep her teeth clean, especially when doing interviews. Kealoha, Sydney Agudong and Tia Carrere have been doing lots of those, taking a victory lap with "Lilo & Stitch" at Comic-Con 2025 and promoting the film's release for digital purchase. Another change? Kealoha says with a big grin that she's been recognized at stores "like five thousand times." Agudong says the movie "an ode to Hawaii" and it's been really cool to "see how much the world has taken to it and how much impact 'Lilo & Stitch' really has had as just this lifelong and timeless story." She says she's been fortunate to celebrate the film's success with family and friends and despite premieres and whirlwind interviews, she still gets to "go to the beach and have fun all over again and I'm just the same." Kealoha and Agudong are the breakout stars of the film, which is the biggest blockbuster of 2025, earning more than $1 billion. "Our little blue friend Stitch is now a billionaire and we couldn't be more excited about it," Carrere says excitedly. As for a sequel, Agudong says the trio are feeling "hanna hou," a Hawaiian term for repeating or doing something again. "Though, of course, we cannot confirm or deny the existence of any such project in this universe or the next. Sorry!" Carrere cheerfully noted.