‘Lilo & Sew’ Stars & Director Dean Fleischer Camp: Interview

SPOILER ALERT: This interview comprises particulars from Disney’s 2025 Lilo & Sew

Despite the fact that it’s been 20 years because the launch of the unique animated movie Lilo & Sew, the theme of Ohana is something however left behind or forgotten. Within the new live-action remake directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, who co-wrote and directed the Oscar-nominated Marcel the Shell with Footwear On, the which means of sisterhood, discovered household, and never sacrificing your goals within the face of hardships are on the forefront. 

Largely much like the animated movie, the story follows a unusual younger lady named Lilo (performed right here by newcomer Maia Kealoha) who unknowingly befriends a manic fugitive alien named Sew (a job reprised by Chris Sanders, who additionally served as co-director and co-writer of the animated movie) that inadvertently helps mend the connection along with her sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong). Within the 23 years between movies, it’s pure that the remake would have up to date twists. This time round, Lilo and Nani’s Ohana is expanded to her witty and sensible neighbor Tūtū (Amy Hill), an unique character, and Nani’s easygoing crush David (Kaipo Dudoit), who’s retconned right here as Tūtū’s grandson. These characters assist Nani, who put her faculty goals apart, to care for Lilo as she tries to steadiness job stability below the specter of shedding Lilo to the state and youngster protecting companies. 
Throughout a press junket, Deadline spoke to Camp, producer Jonathan Eirich, Kealoha and Agudong concerning the new additions, casting and the fun of continuous the legacy of Lilo & Sew.

DEADLINE: Discuss your relationship with Lilo & Sew and your preliminary emotions upon with the ability to direct the remake. 

DEAN FLEISCHER CAMP: It’s at all times been my favourite Disney animated movie, and it’s at all times been the one which I felt like I might do a live-action adaptation of as a result of after I noticed the unique in theaters, I used to be in highschool, and it didn’t appear to be every other animated Disney film I’d ever seen. The characters felt so genuine and just a little tough across the edges in a method that I now know is the affect of Chris Sanders’ precise, unique artwork model. However on the time, I simply thought, wow, that is such a special search for a Disney film. It’s additionally the factor that made it seem to be there’s an important alternative right here to inform a live-action model of those characters as a result of, not like most Disney animated movies, it takes place in up to date society. It stars actual, largely people going by some actual stuff that many different people undergo every day. So, it felt like an important alternative. I jumped on the probability.

DEADLINE: When did you discover out that it could change from being a Disney+-only launch to a large theatrical? 

JONATHAN EIRICH: It was an ongoing dialog and a course of. It wasn’t official-official till proper earlier than D23, in order that’s once we kind of landed on what the discharge date was going to be and revealing Sew to the world. Nevertheless it was at all times being mentioned, and I feel there was at all times a dialog about which method it could go. Fortunately, we’re so excited for this film to be in theaters, so I feel audiences will get what they hope for.

CAMP: I used to be so glad when I discovered that out as a result of, certain, it is going to attain a special kind of viewers [on streaming] or no matter, however I feel we’re at all times attempting to make a film that you’d wish to see with an enormous group in an enormous theater and really feel all the emotions collectively. The film is about Ohana and all these issues, so it actually enhances the expertise. 

DEADLINE: There’s this resonating theme concerning the imperfect household. Along with adjustments within the story about Nani having these profession ambitions as a marine biologist.  Why had been these themes necessary in your model of the movie? 

CAMP: I’m so glad you observed that. I feel that was one of many issues that we talked about, thematically modernizing and updating for this live-action model was broadening the thought of Ohana and complicating it with just a little extra nuance. It simply felt like the proper factor to do. On condition that Nani, who I at all times felt was just a little too rose-colored glasses for anyone in her scenario, was so sensible and has needed to abandon a number of these goals or defer them as a result of she needed to care for her little sister and inherited all this duty at such a younger age. It simply felt like she may not have such a straightforward time shopping for into, “No one will get left behind” as a result of she actually would really feel like, nicely, I’m struggling right here. In order that knowledgeable the strategy that we took with the story and with the arch between the 2 sisters and what the decision ended up being. 

DEADLINE: How did you discover Maia? Why was she good for Lilo?

CAMP: She lit up the room when she walked in. I feel all of us felt like we had an actual front-runner right here. We forged a large internet and tried to see as many children as we might as a result of it’s a very uncommon factor to search out anyone who checks all these packing containers and has enthusiasm, maturity and creativeness. She’s a needle in a haystack and we’re so glad that we discovered her. And I can bear in mind pondering when she walked in, it was so clear, and this needs to be necessary to any casting director. It was so clear when Maia walked in that she was dragging her dad and mom to those auditions and never the opposite method round in any respect. 

EIRICH: The one different added aspect is that we had been casting Sydney as Nani at that time too. So, when there was this scary second the place we’re like, nicely, now we’ve got to do a chemistry learn, how do they really feel collectively? As a result of she looks as if she’s the front-runner. Once they met, it was like they’d been sisters for 20 years. They’ve been that method ever since too. It’s a stupendous relationship they’ve. 

DEADLINE: What had been some non-negotiables? Issues that you simply completely needed to do on this film. 

CAMP: I feel we had been all coming from a spot of actual love for the unique. It’s at all times been my favourite Disney film. And so, I feel there have been a number of these, and generally you need to let go and kill your darlings and it simply doesn’t work out for one cause or one other. However I feel the primary issues that we had been actually centered on, we acquired, and I’m proud that we nailed it. I feel the character design of Sew and his character actually coming by was one. I feel that bringing again a lot of the unique Ohana that made the primary one particular like Chris Sanders and Tia Carrere [who voiced Nani in the 2002 film] and consulting with a number of the unique animation group had been simply tremendous necessary to us and fortunate sufficient that they labored out. 

DEADLINE: Discuss a bit extra about getting Chris Sanders to return, as he’s in the midst of a inventive whirlwind proper now, between The Wild Robotic and the live-action The best way to Practice Your Dragon. Was there a universe the place you didn’t use Chris in any respect? 

CAMP: No universe exists like that on the market. It’s the summer season of Chris Sanders proper now. Having him return was one of many first conversations we had. Fortunately, he’s the man he’s, and he was so supportive, enthusiastic, and glad to supply the voice and just a little little bit of steerage right here and there. He was one of many first individuals, as soon as we had landed on an idea artwork of live-action Sew, who was pleased with the way it turned out. 

DEADLINE: In what methods do you relate to your characters?

MAIA KEALOHA: I relate to her as a result of we’re each from Hawaii and we’re just a little bit sassy. We additionally like enjoyable garments, and we love browsing. I am going browsing in my free time. We additionally love to bounce hula as a result of hula tells a narrative similar to you may inform a narrative about any totally different form of film. 

SYDNEY ELIZEBETH AGUDONG: I’m an absolute OG fan of the movie. I used to be taking a look at this new one like a clear slate. So, I actually took to a number of her id because the older sister. It was one thing I held on to the complete time. The thought of self-sacrifice to the purpose that you simply virtually neglect your individual wants and needs since you wish to just be sure you could make your sister glad or your loved ones glad was a really related factor for me.

DEADLINE: Nani will get a number of company on this film. How did you view the trendy adaptation of this story? 

AGUDONG: I used to be stoked. Once more, I’m an enormous fan of the unique and we actually needed to be sure that we paid homage to that. I feel we did that nicely. However right here we’ve balanced it out with a number of the unique facets of the film that everyone loves and holds expensive. We had been capable of go deeper and that was cool to concentrate on not simply the Lilo and Sew facet of issues alongside the chaos, but additionally the familial structure in paying thoughts to Nani’s robust circumstances and the way practical her scenario was. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for her. That was actually cool to discover. 

DEADLINE:  How did you get to do your first movie function? 

KEALOHA: I had tried out for the Mini Miss Kona Espresso [pageant] and I received. They requested me what I needed to be after I grew up, and I stated I needed to be a star as a result of Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. [a show on Disney+] acquired me into performing as a result of I assumed that was actual. So, then someday later, there was a [notice] concerning the live-action Lilo & Sew on the information. So, then I used to be like, wow, I may be the youngest actor on the earth, and I may be in a film that I’ve at all times beloved. 

DEADLINE:  What would you want individuals to remove from this model of Lilo & Sew? 

AGUDONG: It’s a household movie. That’s why there’s longevity and timelessness to it as a result of its themes are timeless. The best way that the film relies in Hawaii is ideal as a result of I really feel there’s no higher place to symbolize household in the way in which that I feel it doesn’t matter should you’re associated by blood or should you come from a special nation or what you appear to be. You’re at all times going to search out someplace that you simply belong. With this reimagination, that’s an enormous factor that I need the world to have the ability to contemplate and have the ability to take pleasure in and bear in mind. Everyone has a spot to belong. Household means what you need it to imply. 

[This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]