I felt like if we’re going to do a deep dive to try to really ground the characters in this world and in the lived experience of growing up in Hawaii, then it’s not just about rolling cameras on that location. It’s also about having your your office and your prep and all of your prep production, all of that, and even half the writing taking place on the island, with all of us living on the island because that is constantly informing the type of story we were telling. From the details to the sense of humor, and all these things I think, appear on screen as authentically as they do because we made the commitment to actually be in the place.

Additionally, I also give a ton of credit to all of our cultural consultants, and our writer, Chris Bright, who is Hawaiian and whose mother actually worked on the original Lilo & Stitch, which we found out later. One example that pops to mind is Amy Hill’s character Tutu, who is actually a creation of Chris, because he felt like the in real Hawaii, culture is such that if these sisters really lost their parents, they would have a community of people who were pitching in, trying to the support them, and who really open up that idea of wider ohana support.

How did you scout for the Pelakai family home and, more broadly, Lilo and Nani’s neighborhood?

Our location scout Amira and her team did an excellent job finding locations, many of which really haven’t been shot before. And anyone who’s been to Hawaii knows that, it is just chock full of amazing places.

Early on, we were passionate about wanting to depict not just the postcard view of Hawaii, but also what our director of photography at one point described as the, “back of the amusement park.” What is the lived experience? What is the back of the postcard? The lived experience might not be so dressed up and sunlit. We wanted to show the actual day-to-day of people who might work at a luau, what it’s like to go home to their neighborhood. So we always challenged ourselves to not just show the things people have seen, the rainbow and the sun.

The neighborhood spot that we found is a part of Kualoa Ranch, which is known for movie sets and Jurassic Park, but it’s on a part that’s actually one of the manager’s homes. He was showing us around in the different areas they thought might work, but in the end, we felt like we just hadn’t found a place that felt lived in. Though they were all beautiful, they didn’t have that right texture and feel to them, and then he was like, “I gotta talk to my wife, but I’ll show you one more place.” And then we arrive at his actual neighborhood where he lives. His house is actually what stands in for next door neighbor’s house. Then in front of it, we built the Pelakai house, and that was all built on location, at least the exteriors. From there, we didn’t look for any more backdrops; I just left those wide establishing shots that have the mountains in the background, and it’s gorgeous.

Always wanted to live out your very own Pretty Woman fantasy—albeit one that involves idling away your days at a tropical beachfront retreat in Hawaii as opposed to a posh Beverly Hills hotel? You’re in luck, because a blissful estate that Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts once called home has just popped up for sale on Kauai’s magical North Shore in the remote town of Hā‘ena, asking a dash under $30 million. Neal Norman of Hawaii Life holds the listing.

With a main home and a guest cottage offering up a total of four bedrooms and four baths in nearly 3,150 square feet, the secluded residence has plenty of room for any like-minded dreamer to eat, pray, love, and more while enjoying some particularly stunning ocean and mountain views. Famously owned by the Oscar-winning actress and her longtime cinematographer husband Danny Moder for more than a decade, records show the ranch-style property was last sold to an entity linked to a Miami-based LLC in 2020 for around $20 million.

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Tucked away off a private road on three contiguous parcels that total 8.3 acres and offer 400 feet of ocean frontage on pristine Limahuli Beach, the three-bedroom, three-bath primary dwelling was built in 1970. Remodeled during Roberts’s tenure by the San Francisco architecture firm Walker Warner, it comes complete with rustic hardwood floors, soaring exposed-beam ceilings bolstered by steel tie bars, wood-paneled walls, and vast expanses of glass, plus new solar panels.

Upon entry, an open-concept great room features a living room, a dining area, and a kitchen boasting a butcher block-topped eat-in island that seats up to four for casual meals and an accompanying workstation. French doors lead out to a covered lanai. The primary bedroom sports a spa-like bath with a large oval soaking tub and access to an outdoor shower, and one of the guest bedrooms has been converted into a gym.

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In addition to a detached one-bedroom, one-bath guest cottage, the alluring grounds also host a 490-square-foot infinity pool integrated into a wood sundeck, along with landscaped gardens, a running stream, and plenty of grassy spots suited to alfresco lounging and dining. An added bonus: The retreat is adjacent to protected land that includes Hā‘ena State Park and the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Roberts and Moder acquired the Limahuli Beach spread in June 2009 for $10 million, and they previously owned another Kauai property, a charming compound on Hanalei Bay they bought in late 2011 for $13.3 million and offloaded to Michael Fleiss, creator of ABC’s The Bachelor, in 2016 for $16.2 million.

Click here for more photos of the Kauai residence.

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii could pursue legal action against the Honolulu Police Department over a “pattern and practice of falsely arresting drivers in Honolulu without probable cause and without due process,” a letter sent to the police chief on Tuesday read.

It’s the second time the nonprofit demanded change in department policies when it comes to DUI arrests.

The letter cited even more drivers who came forward to report that they were arrested, even though breathalyzer test results showed they had no alcohol in their system.

HNN Investigates has reported on this issue over the past two years and found that 69 drivers taken to jail in 2022 and 2023 despite breath or blood test results of 0.00.

Our investigation also found that about 80% of all of HPD DUI arrests were declined by the Honolulu prosecutor’s office for charges.

One of those cases involves Sarah Poppinga. Poppinga was pulled over on June 15, 2023, after she and a friend left an entertainment venue in the Ward area. Popping’s tail lights were out as she pulled out of the garage and made her way down the street.

Popping, who was 26 at the time, said she didn’t understand what a field sobriety test was and could be heard asking the officer, “Is it optional?”

The officer responded that it is optional.

Popping said, “Oh, I’m going to pass.”

Less than five seconds later, the officer asked her to get out of the car because she was being arrested.

Poppinga said she was confused by the instructions and asked if she could take the test to avoid going to jail.

“You can’t take it now. You can’t renegotiate on the answer after you passed on wanting to do it,” the officer told her.

Poppinga was taken to the police station, where she took the breathalyzer and blew a 0.00, according to the report.

“I didn’t have any alcohol in my system, and I just felt, you know, it was unfair,” Poppinga said.

ACLU Hawaii legal director Wookie Kim said a tail light being off does not constitute probable cause.

“There has to be other evidence that you don’t have the ability to drive safely on the road,” Kim said, “This is a very concerning trend.”

Poppinga said the arrest was traumatizing. “I was pretty scared. Pretty terrified.”

Poppinga is the latest of about a dozen drivers who have come forward, including Ammon Fepuleai, who was pulled over in November 2023.

Fepuleai was the first to drive through a DUI checkpoint in Waipio.

The officer who stopped him is heard on body camera video saying he smelled alcohol.

Fepuleai agreed to the breathalyzer test on scene, which read 0.00, but he was arrested anyway. The officer said he was now suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

No charges were ever filed, but Fepuleai called the arrest humiliating.

Another case highlighted by the ACLU Hawaii was also in an HNN Investigates story.

In January 2024, a high school senior was pulled over after his tires slipped on rain-covered roads in Aiea. He also blew zeros at the police station.

Kim said DUI arrests have affected the employment status of another driver who reached out to the agency.

Poppinga and the others said they now feel anxious driving, especially at night.

ACLU Hawaii is giving HPD one week to respond to the letter demanding change.

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