In June 2002, Disney released its 42nd animated film, Lilo & Stitch. The adorable movie followed a young girl named Lilo and her sister Nani as they navigated a new life without their parents. With both sisters suffering from the loss of their mom and dad, stress took over their lives and Nani was at risk of losing Lilo to Child Protective Services. Things only got more complicated when Lilo adopted a "dog" (which turned out to be an alien) named Stitch.
It will be 20 years in June since Lilo & Stitch was released and fans are still crazy over the bond Lilo, Nani, and Stitch had. There have been rumblings about Disney creating a live-action version of Lilo & Stich, which has fans both excited and nervous, but not much has been said about its future. Looking back on the animated movie, there are plenty of facts and tidbits that viewers didn't know.
The Voice Of Lilo Is Also The Voice Of Another Horrifying Character
Daveigh Chase is the voice actress behind Lilo. Chase has been acting since she was a kid and was only 9 years old when she signed on to voice Lilo. Lilo had some of the funniest quotes in Lilo & Stitch because she had such a mature and dry outlook on life compared to other girls her age.
The same year that Lilo & Stitch came out, the horror film, The Ring, also hit screens and became one of the most successful horror movies. Funny enough, Chase played the haunting young girl, Samara. The stark contrast between movies and characters is vast, but it showed Chase's true talent for acting.
Chris Sanders Did It All
Chris Sanders is the creator and director of Lilo & Stitch — he also voiced Stitch! According to Animated World Network, Lilo & Stitch was originally a children's book that didn't ever amount to anything in 1985. Sanders didn't think he'd be able to flesh out Stitch's character in a few pages, so he scrapped the idea.
Years later when the opportunity came to pitch an idea for Disney, Sanders resurrected Lilo & Stitch. Instead of hiring a voice actor to portray Stitch's goofy, aggressive side — Sanders took full control. While Stitch was problematic for Lilo and Nani, he was more of an intelligent character than Lilo and Nani gave him credit for.
A Subtle Shoutout To Pulp Fiction
Cobra Bubbles was the social worker that kept his eye on Nani and Lilo. His job was to make sure Lilo was in a loving and thriving household with someone responsible for her. However, the only thing Bubbles saw was a dangerous household run by a woman who didn't have a job and was disorganized. Bubbles wasn't meant to be a Disney villain but he did add a threat to Nani and Lilo's life.
Cobra's stature and demeanor were intimidating for Lilo and Nani because they didn't want their family torn apart. According to The Gamer, the animators inspired Bubbles after Pulp Fiction's Marsellus Wallace. What's funnier is Ving Rhames was the man behind both characters.
Disney Pushed Marketing With Other Disney Movies
Disney wanted to make sure Lilo & Stitch was a success. The concept of an alien landing in Hawaii was far-fetched, so Disney's marketing team intertwined the future movie with Disney originals to captivate multiple audiences.
There were multiple commercials of Stitch mingling with fellow Disney characters. In one, Stitch crashed a wave on Ariel from The Little Mermaid. In another, Stitch takes Jasmine from Aladdin while singing "A Whole New World." He even took Simba's place on Pride Rock! These ads eventually worked because Lilo & Stitch brought in over $273 million on an $80 million budget, according to Polygon.
A Focus On Hawaiian And Polynesian Culture
Lilo & Stitch took place on the small island of Kauaʻi in Hawaii. The tropical island has vast wooded areas, surrounded by beaches, making it the perfect setting for Stitch to hide or escape throughout the movie. Since the movie is based on Kaua'i, Disney wanted to make sure they nailed the Hawaiian and Polynesian culture on-screen.
Before Moana became a success for Disney, Lilo & Stitch broke the mold in terms of celebrating island culture. Hanna Hou! explained that the animators traveled to Kaua'i to make sure they understood the spirit of the island. In particular, hula dancing. On YouTube, the animators showed their time in Hawaii watching the hula dances in person to make sure they were able to translate them through animation.
Disney Easter Eggs Spotted!
There are plenty of hidden details in Disney movies that fans on Reddit pointed out on their rewatches. And the same can be said in Lilo & Stitch.
Two big Easter eggs have been caught over the years. In the scene where Lilo thought she saw a shooting star, she ran to the window to say a prayer. In the corner of her room, fans can see a Dumbo stuffed animal. Likewise, when Lilo is in Nani's room, there's a poster of Disney's Mulan by her bed. The director of Lilo & Stitch, Chris Sanders, also wrote for Mulan.
Keep Those Eyes Peeled For Mickey Mouse
Along with the hidden Disney details, there are also a few Easter eggs in Lilo & Stitch that viewers would have to pause the movie to find.
Like in many Disney films, animators tend to leave small Mickey Mouse-shaped heads in various parts of the scene. Fans have pointed out various Mickey heads in this film but two sneaky moments are when Lilo is in the shed and at the market. In the shed, there's a Mickey head on the bottom of a boot while Lilo and Stitch are working on her torn doll. At the market, three fruits are stacked in the form of Mickey.
The Writers & Animators Kept The Spirit Of Hawaii Alive
Aside from hula dancing, the animators and writers continued their work on celebrating the Hawaiian culture and making sure the movie was done respectfully.
Actors Tia Carrere (Nani) and Jason Scott Lee (David) were native to Hawaii and helped with the dialogue, phrases, and Hawaiian lifestyle. David was one of the best Lilo & Stitch characters because he tried to help Nani and Lilo out of the goodness of his heart. Aside from the actors, the animators took real points of interest from the island and added them to their scenes, like the Kilauea Lighthouse. Even the market that Nani tries to work at is named after the island's Hasegawa’s General Store.
Quiet Hints About Life Before Their Parents' Death
At the start of the movie, viewers found out that Lilo and Nani was orphans and on their own. Lilo showed up to hula late because she had to feed her fish Pudge because he was in charge of "controlling the weather." Lilo sounded crazy to many but as viewers found out later, her parents died in a car accident. It's assumed that Lilo wanted to be able to control the weather to prevent another accident.
Eagle-eyed viewers also noticed all of Nani's surfing medals and trophies in her bedroom. These small glimpses show what life was like for them before their parents died and how their death affected them in the present day.
Lilo & Stitch Was Nominated For An Oscar
Lilo & Stitch went on to be a huge success for Disney and is one of the most beloved animated films for its messages on love and family. In 2003, the movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and while it didn't end up winning, the film did win other awards for its voice work and sound.
Lilo, Nani, and Stitch are some of Disney's more complex characters but they're all likable in their own way, which is why the movie is so beloved 20 years later.