Maia Kealoha
Maia Kealoha | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 15, 2016 Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2023–present |
| Notable work | Lilo & Stitch |
Maia Kealoha (born December 15, 2016)[1] is an American child actress from Hawaii. She is known for playing Lilo Pelekai in the 2025 live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, for which she earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Younger Performer in a Film in 2026.
Early life
Maia Kealoha was born on December 15, 2016 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.[1][2] She has been dancing hula since she was little.[3] She started dancing Tahitian dance at the age of two. In 2022, Kealoha won the title of Mini Miss Kona Coffee.[4]
Career
Kealoha's first onscreen role was in the 2025 film Lilo & Stitch, a live-action remake of the 2002 animated film of the same name. She auditioned for the role of Lilo at the age of five,[5] and was cast for the role in 2023.[6] She was later cast as Lani in The Wrecking Crew (2026).[7] She appeared in Disney's musical series, Electric Bloom (2025) as Kaia.[8][9]
On February 12, 2026 it was announced that she would star in Nutmeg & Mistletoe as Alma.[10] Months later, it was announced on June 26 at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival that she would reprising her role as Lilo in a new 2D/computer-generated animated short set shortly after the events of the original 2002 animated film titled Lilo & Scratch, which is set to release on November 25, 2026 alongside the Disney animated film, Hexed.[11]
Recognition
In June 2025, Mayor of Hawaiʻi County, Kimo Alameda, proclaimed June 3, 2025 as Maia Kealoha Day on Hawaii County during a ceremony at the West Hawaiʻi Civic Center.[4] Mayor Alameda said during the ceremony that proclaiming June 3 as Maia Kealoha Day is a tribute to her inspiring journey and serves as a beacon of hope for local girls and kids to pursue their dreams, no matter how big.[12]
She features on Gold House's most impactful Asian Pacific Gold100 list of 2026.[13][14]
Filmography
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lilo & Stitch | Lilo Pelekai | Main role |
| Electric Bloom | Kaia | Episode: "How We Handled an Unexpected Visitor"[15] | |
| 2026 | The Wrecking Crew | Lani | |
| Lilo & Scratch | Lilo Pelekai | Voice, short film[16] | |
| Nutmeg & Mistletoe † | Alma | Post-production |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | Best Female Youth Performance (Under 21) | Lilo & Stitch | Nominated | [17] |
| 2026 | Saturn Award | Best Younger Performer in a Film | Nominated | [18] |
References
- 1 2 @maiakealoha; (December 15, 2024). "I'm officially 8 and this is going to be the bestest year ever! I "picked" some memories of me being 7 to share with you.💙". Retrieved December 15, 2025 – via Instagram.
- ↑ Tsai, Michael. "'Lilo and Stitch' actress, Maia Kealoha, lays claim to the summer". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
- ↑ "Who Is Maia Kealoha? Meet the Child Star Playing Lilo in the Live-Action 'Lilo & Stitch'". People.com. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- 1 2 "Hawai'i County mayor proclaims June 3, 2025, Maia Keahola Day for 8-year-old star in ‘Lilo & Stitch’ | Kauai Now". | Hawai‘i County mayor proclaims June 3, 2025, Maia Keahola Day for 8-year-old star in ‘Lilo & Stitch’. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ↑ "Young breakout star Maia Kealoha steals hearts in 'Lilo & Stitch' live-action remake". ABC7 Chicago. 2025-05-21. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ↑ Verhoeven, Beatrice (2023-03-31). "Disney's Live-Action 'Lilo & Stitch' Movie Finds Its Lilo". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ↑ Palacios, Bibiana (2025-03-12). "Who is Maia Kealoha, the actress who will play Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch live-action?". Revista Merca2.0 (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ↑ "It's Showtime For These Best Friends Turned Pop Stars All-New Trailer And Poster For 'Electric Bloom' Revealed Ahead Of Disney+ Debut On Sept. 17". Disney Plus Press. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ Delgado, Sara (2025-08-04). "Exclusive: 'Electric Bloom' Unveils New Trailer, Guest Stars, and More". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (2026-02-12). "Madeleine Arthur, Sarah Jeffery, Nia Vardalos, Arianna Rivas & 'Lilo & Stitch' Star Maia Kealoha Lead Christmas Comedy 'Nutmeg & Mistletoe', First Look Revealed – EFM". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (2026-06-26). "Disney Unveils Surprrise Short 'Lilo & Scratch' With Chris Sanders". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-27.
- ↑ "Maia Kealoha Day: Mayor Alameda Proclaims June 3, 2025, Maia Kealoha Day in the County of Hawaiʻi". County of Hawaiʻi News. June 4, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ↑ Tangcay, Jazz (2026-05-01). "Hudson Williams, EJAE, Zohran Mamdani and More Honored on Gold House's Gold100 List". Variety. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
- ↑ Fell, Nicole (2026-05-01). "Hudson Williams, Chloe Zhao, Charles Melton, Kehlani and Laufey Among 2026 Gold House Gold100 Honorees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-05-02.
- ↑ "Maia Kealoha, Dara Reneé to guest star on Disney's 'Electric Bloom'". ABC7 New York. 2025-08-05. Retrieved 2025-09-10.
- ↑ Goodfellow, Melanie (2026-06-26). "Disney Unveils Fresh 'Hexed' Footage & Surprise Theatrical Short 'Lilo & Scratch' With Chris Sanders". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (2025-12-19). "The 2025 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (2026-01-27). "'Sinners', 'Avatar: Fire And Ash', 'Fantastic Four' And 'Dexter: Resurrection' Lead Saturn Awards Nominations". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
External links
- Maia Kealoha at IMDb