Whenever new live-action Disney remakes are released, it’s tough to avoid comparing how the stories differ from the animated version, and the new Lilo & Stitch movie is no exception. One point of discourse among fans of the original has been regarding the scientist who created Stitch, Jumba Jookiba, played by Zach Galifianakis this time around. When CinemaBlend chatted with the comedy actor, he shared his different take on the self-proclaimed evil genius behind Experiment 626.
As fans who grew up with the original movie know, the animated Jumba, voiced by the late David Allen Ogden Stiers, has a vague Russian accent, even though he’s an alien from a planet called Quelte Quan. Here’s what Zach Galifianakis had to say about skipping the accent:
I think maybe they wanted to stay away from that kind of thing, or maybe I did do a Russian accent, and they're like, ‘That sounds like he's Chinese.’ I can't really do voices anyway, so maybe that was what it was, but my voice is a little different. I think it's a little deeper in the [animated version].
Zach Galifianakis was the first actor to be cast in the Lilo & Stitch movie to our knowledge (as originally reported by The Wrap) back in early 2023, just a month before the movie kicked off filming in Oahu, Hawaii. For the most part, Galifianakis’ version of Jumba sounds like his own voice. Per the actor, he might have messed around a bit at first with the voice, and everyone ultimately decided he would not do the accent. As he also shared in our interview:
Listen, I told them, ‘Tell me what to do.’ I think these days accents are tricky. I don't know what happens. I don't know how those decisions are made. Like ‘No German, no Russian, no accents’ But you still can kind of do a Russian one as the villain, let's be honest.
During our conversation with Galifianakis, he shared that he was “unfamiliar” with Lilo & Stitch when he signed on to the movie, but soon realized there was a “loyal” fanbase behind the 2002 movie they’d be trying to pay homage to. Considering the new Lilo & Stitch movie earned the best Memorial Day weekend ever at the box office, I’d say the fanbase turnout was quite strong for live-action Stitch.
Jumba’s accent wasn’t the only notable change to the character either. He also has a larger role in the movie than his original character did, and is mostly depicted in human form in order for him to more believably be disguised with Pleakley when they try to retrieve Stitch on Earth.
We additionally talked to director Dean Fleischer Camp, who also helmed Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, about why he stands by his decision to remove Captain Gantu from the new movie. Producer Jonathan Eirich also talked to us about why a new character was added in the form of Amy Hill’s Tutu.
You can check out our Lilo & Stitch review, and watch the latest of Disney's live-action remakes in theaters now.
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