Former child star Daveigh Chase has died at the age of 35, bringing a tragic end to a career that helped define an entire generation of moviegoers. Chase was best known for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and for her chilling performance as Samara Morgan in The Ring, two roles she landed in the same breakthrough year of 2002. According to multiple reports, Chase died Tuesday after suffering complications related to meningitis and a severe blood infection that led to sepsis.
The news was first reported by TMZ and later confirmed by several entertainment outlets. Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, said she had recently been hospitalized in Los Angeles after battling meningitis and multiple blood infections. Reports indicate the infection caused septic complications that ultimately led to organ failure.
She was just 35 years old.
A Breakout Year That Created Two Iconic Characters
Few child actors can claim to have created two instantly recognizable characters in the same year, but Chase accomplished exactly that in 2002.
That year, she voiced Lilo in Disney’s animated hit Lilo & Stitch, helping turn the film into one of the studio’s most beloved modern animated classics. The movie spawned sequels, a television series, merchandise, and, most recently, a successful live-action remake. Chase would continue voicing the character in various projects connected to the franchise.
Lilo and Stitch in Lilo & Stitch – Disney
At the same time, she delivered one of horror’s most memorable performances as Samara Morgan in The Ring. Her portrayal of the ghostly girl emerging from a television became an iconic image of early-2000s horror and earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.
For many fans, Chase was simultaneously the voice behind one of Disney’s most lovable characters and the face of one of horror’s most terrifying villains.
A Career Beyond Lilo and Samara
While those two roles defined her legacy, Chase’s résumé extended well beyond them.
Before becoming a household name, she provided the English-language voice for Chihiro in the acclaimed American dub of Spirited Away. She also appeared in films such as Donnie Darko and worked steadily in television, including a recurring role as Rhonda Volmer on HBO’s Big Love. Her credits also included appearances on shows such as ER, Charmed, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Daveigh Chase in The Ring – YouTube, Ferdinand
Despite early success, Chase largely stepped away from major Hollywood projects in later years. Her final credited screen work came in the mid-2010s, with only occasional appearances afterward.
Boyfriend Revealed Serious Health Struggles
Just days before her death, Hernandez launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking assistance as Chase’s health rapidly deteriorated.
According to statements posted by Hernandez, Chase had been diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. He described her condition as critical and said doctors warned she might not have much time left. The fundraiser also referenced difficult personal struggles she had faced away from the spotlight, including family issues and periods of instability after her Hollywood career slowed.
Daveigh Chase – YouTube, Sammy’s Collectable Toys Hall
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Reports also indicate Chase had recently been hospitalized for malnutrition before her condition worsened.
Remembering a Generation-Defining Talent
For many millennials, Daveigh Chase’s work was impossible to escape.
She was the voice behind one of Disney’s most beloved animated heroines, the terrifying face that haunted countless sleepovers after The Ring hit theaters, and helped bring acclaimed projects like Spirited Away and Big Love to audiences during a career that began before she was even a teenager.
Daveigh Chase – YouTube, Sammy’s Collectable Toys Hall
While her life ended far too soon, the characters she brought to life remain deeply embedded in popular culture. More than two decades after her breakout year, audiences still instantly recognize both Lilo and Samara—a testament to the impact Chase made during her time in Hollywood.
