David Kawena

David Kawena
Background information
Feature films	Lilo & Stitch (2025)
Portrayed by	Kaipo Dudoit
Inspiration	David Kawena from the 2002 film
Character information
Occupation	Fire dancer Lifeguard
Home	Kauai, Hawaii
Likes	Hula dancing, surfing, Nani Pelekai
Status	Active
Family information
Other relatives	Tūtū (grandmother) Lilo Pelekai (ward)
Partner(s)	Nani Pelekai (girlfriend)

David Kawena is a supporting character in the 2025 live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. He is an eighteen-year-old Native Hawaiian fire dancer and lifeguard who is kind to Nani.

He is based on the character of the same name from the 2002 animated film.

Trivia

• Kahiau Machado was originally cast in the role, but he was recast shortly thereafter due to his prior usage of a racial slur.
• Casting calls for the film previously stated for him to be a community college student. However, he is not shown doing any studying or attending college in the final film, suggesting that this detail was dropped during production or pre-production.

Gallery

See also

• David Kawena

References

v - e - d

Media Films: Lilo & Stitch (video/soundtrack) • Stitch! The Movie (video) • Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (video) • Leroy & Stitch (video) • Lilo & Stitch (2025 film) (video/soundtrack) • Lilo & Stitch 2 Shorts: The Origin of Stitch • Once Upon a Studio Shows: Lilo & Stitch: The Series • Stitch! • Stitch & Ai • Chibi Tiny Tales Soundtracks: Lilo & Stitch: Island Favorites • Lilo & Stitch Hawaiian Album Video Games: Lilo & Stitch (GBA) • Lilo & Stitch Pinball • Lilo & Stitch: Hawaiian Adventure • Lilo & Stitch: Trouble in Paradise • Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 • Lilo & Stitch's Island of Adventures • Lilo & Stitch 2: Hämsterviel Havoc • Kingdom Hearts II • Stitch Jam • Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep • Motto! Stitch! DS • Lilo & Stitch Play & Print • Stitch! Super Chef • Stitch!Now (Stitch Cosplay) • Bomberman: Disney Stitch Edition • Disney Magical World • Disney Infinity • Disney Infinity: 2.0 Edition • Disney Magical World 2 • Disney Magic Kingdoms • Disney Emoji Blitz • Disney Crossy Road • Disney Heroes: Battle Mode • Kingdom Hearts III • Disney Epic Quest • Disney Getaway Blast • Disney Dreamlight Valley • Disney Speedstorm • Twisted Wonderland Books: Comic Zone Volume 1: Disney's Lilo & Stitch • Stitch & the Samurai • Agent Stitch • A Twisted Tale: Nobody Gets Left Behind Disney Parks Disney Animation Building • Disney Friends of the Month • Innoventions • It's a Small World • Karibuni Marketplace • Stitch's Great Escape! • Stitch Encounter • The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! • Walt Disney World Railroad Entertainment: Lilo & Stitch's Ohana Luau • Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade • Disney's Showtime Spectacular • Disney's Wishes • Fantasmic! • Max LIVE: Gettin’ Goofy With It • Mickey and the Magical Map • One Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On • Mickey presents: "Happy Anniversary Disneyland Paris" • Stitch's Interplanetary Beach Party Blast • Stitch's Supersonic Celebration • The Golden Mickeys Parades: A Million Splashes of Colour • Disney's Dreams On Parade: Moving On • Flights of Fantasy Parade • Happiness is Here Parade • Jubilation! • Mickey's New Year's Eve Parade • Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! Street Party • Mickey's Storybook Express • Fireworks: Celebrate the Magic • Disney Tales of Magic • Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration • Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland • Momentous • Wonderful World of Animation • Wondrous Journeys Spring: Disney's Easter Wonderland • Disney's Spring Promenade • Fashionable Easter Summer: Adventure is Out There! • Mickey's WaterWorks • Stitch's Summer Dance Bash • Stitch and Friends Summer Surprise • Summer Blast Halloween: Halloween Pop'n LIVE • Re-Villains! Halloween Parade • Scream and Shout Halloween Parade Christmas: A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas • Disney Christmas Stories • Toys Wondrous Christmas! • World of Color: Season of Light Characters Original: Stitch • Lilo Pelekai • Nani Pelekai • Jumba Jookiba • Pleakley • David Kawena • Captain Gantu • Jacques von Hämsterviel • Grand Councilwoman • Galactic Armada • UGF Troopers • Mertle Edmonds • Elena, Teresa, and Yuki • Susan Hegarty • Cobra Bubbles • Moses Puloki • Mrs. Hasagawa • Mr. and Mrs. Pelekai • Luki • Ice Cream Man TV series: Mr. Wong • Mrs. Edmonds • Stacy Edmonds • Officer Kahiko • Keoni Jameson • Mr. Jameson • Victoria • Mrs. Pleakley • Pixley Pleakley • Bertley Pleakley • Charles and Mary • Mitzi Suzuki and Kato Stewart • Merwin and Dean • Ellen and Lona • Zach Makeli • Ringmaster • Mayor Anolo • Nicolé • Dr. Gladys Okra • Sara • Mr. Cooper • Chaps, Manny, and Sperk • Mortlegax Stitch!: Yuna Kamihara • Gramma • Penny • Kenny • Taro • Sasha • Hiroman • Jessica • Tigerlily Sakai • Dolores • Ani Pelekai • BooGoo • Kijimunaa • Delia Stitch & Ai: Wang Ai Ling • Wang Jiejie • Meiying • Qian Dahu • Wang Daiyu • Mr. Ding • Bao • Dim Long • Scratch • Jaboodie • Jumba's Chinese Experiments Video game characters: Dr. Habbitrale Experiments: Chopsuey • Sparky • Reuben • Jam • Digger • Mary • Huggo • Slimy • Richter • Phantasmo • Clip • Mr. Stenchy • Spooky • Holio • Cannonball • Gigi • Yin • Yang • Kixx • Splodyhead • Amnesio • Swirly • Fibber • Tank • Sprout • Elastico • Yaarp • 627 • Deforestator • Zap • Topper • Melty • Houdini • Fudgy • Sinker • Nosy • Finder • Slushy • Dupe • Heat • Thresher • Plasmoid • Hammerface • Shortstuff • Angel • Felix • Poxy • Hunkahunka • Sample • Babyfier • Bonnie • Clyde • Slugger • Drowsy • Spike • Squeak • Frenchfry • Swapper • Shoe • Backhoe • Poki • Slick • Skip • Clink • Checkers • PJ • Ploot • Snooty • Retro • Belle • Morpholomew • Spats • Heckler • Wishy-Washy • Phoon • Bugby • Shush • Lax • Remmy • Doubledip • Gotchu • Forehead • Hocker • Zawp • Mulch • Shredder • Pix • Boomer • Manners • Woody • Wrapper • Blowhard • Derrick • Ace • Glitch • Woops • Snafu • Nosox • Stamen • Tickle-Tummy • Link • Leroy • Cloudy • Stopgo • Splat • Sproing • Kernel • Carmen • Zero • Shrink • Bragg • Mrs. Sickly • Pop • Dorkifier • Wormhole • Toons • Hertz Donut • Welko • Lorider • Witch • Sproutling • Skunkuna • Dark End Guest Characters: Kim Possible • Ron Stoppable • Wade • Dr. Drakken • Shego • Rufus • Penny Proud • Oscar Proud • Trudy Proud • BeBe & CeCe Proud • Suga Mama • Puff • T.J. Detweiler • Vince LaSalle • Ashley Spinelli • Gretchen Grundler • Mikey Blumberg • Gus Griswald • Muriel Finster • Jake Long • Luong Lao Shi • Fu Dog • Trixie Carter • Arthur Spudinski Remake: Stitch • Lilo Pelekai • Nani Pelekai • David Kawena • Cobra Bubbles • Mrs. Kekoa • Jumba Jookiba • Pleakley • Grand Councilwoman • Tūtū • Mertle Edmonds Others: Elvis Presley • Pudge • Jimmy the Cockroach • Various Aliens • Leroy Clones • Yamato Meison • Sergeant C4703BK2704-90210 Episodes Season One: "Richter" • "Phantasmo" • "Clip" • "Mr. Stenchy" • "Spooky" • "Holio" • "Cannonball" • "Yapper" • "Yin-Yang" • "Kixx" • "Splodyhead" • "Amnesio" • "Swirly" • "Fibber" • "Tank" • "Sprout" • "Elastico" • "Yaarp" • "627" • "The Asteroid" • "Topper" • "Melty" • "Houdini" • "Sinker" • "Nosy" • "Finder" • "Slushy" • "Dupe" • "Shortstuff" • "Angel" • "Felix" • "Poxy" • "Hunkahunka" • "Sample" • "Babyfier" • "Bonnie & Clyde" • "Slugger" • "Bad Stitch" • "Drowsy" Season Two: "Spike" • "Frenchfry" • "Swapper" • "Shoe" • "Slick" • "Skip" • "Checkers" • "PJ" • "Ploot" • "Snooty" • "Retro" • "Belle" • "Morpholomew" • "Spats" • "Heckler" • "Wishy-Washy" • "Phoon" • "Bugby" • "Rufus" • "Shush" • "Lax" • "Remmy" • "Mrs. Hasagawa's Cats/Ace" • "Glitch/Woops" • "Snafu" • "Link" Songs "He Mele No Lilo" • "Heartbreak Hotel" • "Stuck on You" • "Suspicious Minds" • "(You're the) Devil in Disguise" • "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" • "Aloha ʻOe" • "Hound Dog" • "Burning Love" • "Can't Help Falling in Love" • "Lahaina" • "Rubberneckin'" • "I Need Your Love Tonight" • "A Little Less Conversation" • "Always" • "Slicin' Sand" • "Aloha, E Komo Mai" • "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" • "Jailhouse Rock" • "Don't Be Cruel" Locations Hawaii • Honolulu • Kokaua Town • Lahui Beach • Lilo's House • Aloha Animal Rescue • Hasagawa Fruits • Kaiāulu Hale • Mertle's House • Birds of Paradise Hotel • Kilauea Lighthouse • Rental Hut • Muscle Bay • Kiki's Coffee Hut • Beauty Parlor • Mart • Macki Macaw's • Luki's Shave Ice • Jumba & Pleakley's Bed & Not Breakfast • Waialeale Peak • Kauai Airport • Turo • Plorgonar • Prison Asteroid K-37 • Galaxy Defense Industries • Lihue Airport • Izayoi Island • Izayoi Elementary School Others: Enchanted Tiki Room Objects Experiment Pods • Experiment Pod Container • Jumba's Computer • Plasma Blaster • Net Cannon • Galactic Communicator • Prison Capsule • Fusion Chamber • Time Machine • Reducer Ray • Protoplasmic Growth Ray • Plasmatic Englobulatron • Scrump • Lilo's Experiment Book • Stitch's Spacesuit • Stitch's Necklace • Chitama Spiritual Stone • Good Deed Counter Vehicles Jumba's Ship • Gantu's Ship • Police Cruisers • The Red One • Dr. Hämsterviel's Ship • Manta Shuttle • Hovercraft • X-Buggy • Federation Ship • B.R.B. 9000 • G.A.C.C. Ship See Also Unconfirmed Experiments • Tantalog language • Pelekai ʻohana • "The 747 Sequence" • Stitch Crashes Disney • Stitch Attacks Snacks