'Lilo & Stitch' Star David H.K. Bell Has Fied at Age 57 — Sister Pens Heartbreaking Tribute

Once upon a time, a person could be plucked out of obscurity and put into a motion picture, thus changing their life forever. There are countless Hollywood tales of someone being "discovered" while doing everyday, mundane things. Charlize Theron was famously spotted by a talent agent while trying to cash a check at a bank in Los Angeles. The rest, as they say, is history.

Although the name David H.K. Bell might not ring any, well, bells, he was a regular guy who found himself in a big-time movie. The Hawaiian native had bit parts in shows like Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. before he auditioned for the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. He got the part and in May 2025, saw himself on the big screen for the first time. Sadly, David died a month later at the age of 57. Here's what we know about his cause of death.

In a moving post to Facebook, David's sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, shared that her brother passed away on June 15, 2025. A cause of death has yet to be revealed, but Jalene wrote that he was in the "company of our Heavenly Father." Although Jalene was still processing the loss of a man she described as sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant, and handsome, she chose to share the news of his death after a pre-scheduled Father's Day newsletter prompted her to do so.

Despite the fact that David was her little brother, Jalene said he was more like a father figure, due to the fact that she grew up without hers. "David gave me all the unconditional love I could possibly ask for, and I believe that all his family and friends received the same from him," she said. When it came to his family, David was incredibly involved and always present. He was especially proud of his sister, nieces, and grandnephew.

Brittney Kealoha, the mother of Maia Kealoha, who plays Lilo in the film, shared a joint post to Instagram from her account and her daughter's. She wrote that David was like an uncle to Maia, which is a sign of respect in Hawai’i. He treated the young actor like "his own 'ohana." She went on to say that she was proud of all David accomplished in this life. "You definitely made your mark around the world."