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Disney recast David in live-action Lilo & Stitch after racist posts resurface

24 April 2023, 17:11

Watch Kaipo Dudoit in the My Partner trailer

By Sam Prance

Kaipo Dudoit will now play David in Lilo & Stitch instead of Kahiau Machado.

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Disney have recast David in their upcoming live-action Lilo & Stitch film after racist remarks of the original actor resurfaced.

Ever since Disney announced that they would be making a live-action Lilo & Stitch movie, fans have been desperate to see who would be cast as the iconic characters in the film. Last month, Disney announced that newcomer Maia Kealoha had been cast as Lilo, Sydney Agudong would play Nani and Kahiau Machado would appear as Nani's love interest David.

However, Disney have now revealed that Kahiau Machado has been replaced by Kaipo Dudoit after a racism controversy.

Disney recast David in live-action Lilo & Stitch after Kahiau Machado's racist posts resurface. Picture: Disney / Disney / Maximum Film / Alamy Stock Photo, @kaipodudoit via Instagram, @kahiaumachado via Instagram

Shortly after it was confirmed that Kahiau Machado would be playing David, people found out that the actor had used racial slurs on social media and on his Spotify account. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney decided to recast David in the movie after being made aware of the posts during a "vetting process". Kaipo Dudoit will now take on the role.

Like Maia Kealoha and Sydney Agudong, Kaipo Dudoit is a rising star. He has previously acted in an episode of Magnum P.I. and is set to appear in an upcoming independent queer Filipino Hawaiian movie named My Partner later this year. The film tells the story of two high school boys/rivals who discover they have romantic feelings for each other.

Kaipo Dudoit will now play David in Lilo & Stitch instead of Kahiau Machado. Picture: @kaipodudoit via Instagram, Disney

Elsewhere, Disney have revealed that Zach Galifianakis will star as Jumba, Billy Magnussen will play Pleakley and Courtney B. Vance is taking on the role of Cobra Bubbles. Meanwhile, Chris Sanders is in talks to voice Lilo again and Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the animated film, will play a new character named Mrs. Kekoa.

Production for the film is currently underway in Hawaii but no release date has been revealed as of right now.