With some casting news surfacing in recent days surrounding Disney’s live-action adaptation of the beloved 2002 animated film Lilo & Stitch, a lot of the source materials fans have been scouring the internet to compare the actors cast in the roles of these established and beloved characters.
One particularly contentious casting has been that of Lilo’s older sister and guardian, Nani, who is being played by Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, THR recently revealed. As is often the case with live-action Disney casting, Agudong is being put under the microscope by Lilo & Stitch fans, with her appropriateness for the role being scrutinized and accusations of whitewashing being slung at Disney.
One other factor that is often called into question is an actor’s age in comparison to the character they are meant to be portraying. It’s no secret that Hollywood often casts actors and actresses in their mid-twenties to portray teenagers, so let’s work out if this is the case with the casting choice for Lilo’s surf-loving older sister.
Nani’s age in Lilo & Stitch
While we weren’t able to find explicit confirmation of Nani’s age in the original film, a common conception on the internet is that Nani is nineteen years of age in the first film. This makes enough sense, considering Nani is Lilo’s legal guardian, a responsibility she can only undertake at an adult age.
Circling back to Sydney Elizabeth Agudong, per her IMDb profile, the actress was born on No. 13, 2000 – making her 22 years of age, still landing her somewhat in the ballpark of Nani’s young adult age. Everything else you need to know about Agudong can be found here.