'Star Wars' Actress delivers toys to Lubbock Ronald McDonald House

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - A "Star Wars" actress brought some smiles and toys to Lubbock kids stuck in the hospital this holiday season.

Leilani Shiu, who stars as a Jawa in several recent "Star Wars" Disney+ series, stopped by Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest to visit patients and bring them presents.

"Everybody knows what 'Star Wars' is, and, you know, if I can put a smile on those kids faces, the families, why not? It's my way of giving back," Shiu said.

Shiu specializes as a creature actor and kid stand-in. She is currently on the No. 1 hit Disney+ show "Obi-Wan Kenobi" as Teeka the Jawa, the first Jawa governor with a name and that talks. She also stars in "The Mandalorian" and the "Book of Boba Fett," where she is the first on-screen credited principal Jawa as JAWA.

"Everybody knows what 'Star Wars' is, and, you know, if I can put a smile on those kids faces, the families, why not? It's my way of giving back," Shiu said.

Shiu travels to Ronald McDonald Houses and comic cons across the country. As a little person, she says she can relate to what these kids are going through.

"I know what my mom went through, like when I had surgery. They had to drive down every day to be with me, you know? And they had a small business, so that's hard," she said. "You have to not just pay the hospital, then they had to get a hotel, everything. So, I think it's great that, we didn't have Ronald McDonald House back then, so to have this, this is a great blessing," she said.

That's why she partnered with a toy store in Big Spring and a comic con organizer to bring these presents and some of their favorite characters to Lubbock.

She hopes these presents will kick off a season of giving. Anyone can bring new toys to the Ronald McDonald House, at 3413 10th St. near UMC, to make the holidays a little happier for the kids and families there.

"Donate. It really goes to, you know, somebody you might know, or you might have used it yourself. It definitely goes to real families," Shiu said.

Along with toys, RMHC says it's always happy to take boxes of snacks to provide for the families.