Actor David Bell, of ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ Dead

Beloved actor David Hekili Kenui Bell, celebrated for his role in the live-action “Lilo & Stitch,” has died. His sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, shared the news, though the cause of death remains undisclosed, leaving fans and colleagues to mourn his passing.

A Life Remembered

Jalene Kanani Bell posted on social media, sharing her profound grief. She remembered her brother as “sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant, and handsome.”

“It is with a heavy heart I share that my sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother David H. K. Bell will spend today in the company of our Heavenly Father.”

—Jalene Kanani Bell

Bell, a member of SAG-AFTRA, had appeared in “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum P.I.” His Facebook profile also hinted at several upcoming projects. IMDb Pro listed his involvement in “The Wrecking Crew,” an Amazon MGM Studios action-comedy.

A Memorable Role

In the 2024 adaptation of Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, Bell played a character who drops his shaved ice. He had shared his audition tape and behind-the-scenes photos. The film adaptation has already generated significant buzz.

In 2023, the global box office for animated films reached $30.6 billion, underscoring the genre’s sustained popularity (Statista 2023).

Additional Ventures

The actor was passionate about acting, voiceovers, and representing Kona Brew as an ambassador. Jalene said, “David loved being an actor, doing voiceovers, spending time with Brutus traveling as an ambassador for Kona Brew.” He contributed to the customer experience at Kona Airport.

Bell attended Kalani High School, Hawaii Community College, and Kapiolani Community College. Before his passing, he worked as an assistant airport superintendent at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole.