Maia Kealoha

American child actress (born 2016) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

Born (2016-12-15) December 15, 2016 (age 9)
OccupationActress
Yearsactive2023–present
NotableworkLilo & Stitch
Quick facts Born, Occupation ...
Maia Kealoha
Born (2016-12-15) December 15, 2016 (age 9)
OccupationActress
Years active2023–present
Notable workLilo & Stitch
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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]

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.[11]

She features on Gold House's most impactful Asian Pacific Gold100 list of 2026.[12][13]

Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released
More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes
2025 Lilo & Stitch Lilo Pelekai Main role
Electric Bloom Kaia Episode: "How We Handled an Unexpected Visitor"[14]
2026 The Wrecking Crew Lani
TBA Nutmeg & Mistletoe Alma Post-production
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Awards and nominations

More information Year, Award ...
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2025 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards Best Female Youth Performance (Under 21) Lilo & Stitch Nominated [15]
2026 Saturn Award Best Younger Performer in a Film Nominated [16]
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References

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