Cliff Notes – Lilo & Stitch actor dies weeks after film’s release as family pays tribute
- David Hekili Kenui Bell, known for his role in the live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch, passed away on June 12 at the age of 46; the cause of death is currently under investigation.
- His sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, describing him as a talented and generous individual who loved acting and the arts.
- Bell’s notable career included appearances in Magnum PI and Hawaii Five-O, and he was set to feature in the upcoming film The Wrecking Crew, which is in post-production.
Lilo & Stitch actor dies weeks after film’s release as family pay tribute
David Hekili Kenui Bell has died aged 46 (Picture: Disney)
Lilo & Stitch actor David Hekili Kenui Bell has died aged 46, less than a month after appearing in Disney’s smash hit live-action film.
Bell is said to have died on June 12, with a cause of death not yet revealed.
In this year’s adaptation of the 2002 animated classic, Bell played the character who infamously drops his shaved ice when he sees Jumba open the portal to the island.
The actor’s sister Jalene Kanani Bell shared the loss with a ‘heavy heart’ in a Facebook post.
‘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,’ she wrote.
Hawai’i police subsequently confirmed Bell’s death to People and said an inquest has been launched, as is standard practice.
Bell is said to have died on June 12 (Picture: Instagram/hekili97)
Bell played an iconic part from the original Lilo & Stitch film (Picture: @hekili97/Instagram)
A spokesperson told the publication: ‘An autopsy is being scheduled to determine the exact cause of death. The investigation is ongoing at this time. No foul play is suspected.’
Jalene’s post described her brother as a ‘joy of a human’ and went on to describe his love of acting. She said: ‘David loved being an actor, doing voiceovers, spending time with Brutus traveling as an ambassador for Kona Brew. The film industry and Entertainment was so exciting to him and I loved that he enjoyed the arts.
‘He went to Punahou and Kalani while our dad spoke Hawaiian so his ability to deliver lines with English understanding, Indigenous knowledge and Pidgen to da max…made him a diamond in the rough.
Bell has also appeared in Magnum PI and Hawaii Five-O (Picture: Instagram/hekili97)
‘You can hear him over the PA system on arrival at Kona Airport where he loved working to create an awesome and safe customer experience. He was and will remain a bright and shining star.’
She then spoke about his role in Lilo & Stitch, and told how the family went to watch the film together on opening night.
‘We talked about and were so energized by the fans dressed in L&S gear head to toe, t-shirts, onezees, hats, mask, and the merch galore flying off the shelf as we stood in line for pop-corn,’ she wrote.
She added: ‘To celebrate him and try to ease our grief we went to get shave ice and my grandson’s emotion was on point.’
In addition to his role on Lilo & Stitch, David has also made appearances in Magnum PI and Hawaii Five-O. According to his IMDb, he is set to appear in the film The Wrecking Crew, which is currently in post-production.
