ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
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'Lilo & Stitch' Star Daveigh Chase Dies At 35
FILE
Daveigh Chase, the former child actress best known for voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and portraying Samara Morgan in the horror hit The Ring, has died. She was 35.
Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times that Chase died in a Los Angeles hospital from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis.
Chase rose to fame in 2002 when she voiced the spirited Hawaiian girl in Disney's animated blockbuster Lilo & Stitch. She later reprised the role in Stitch! The Movie and Lilo & Stitch: The Series, helping make the franchise a favorite among audiences around the world.
That same year, she showcased her range with a dramatically different role as Samara Morgan in The Ring. Her chilling performance earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
In addition to those iconic roles, Chase provided the English voice of Chihiro Ogino in Studio Ghibli's Academy Award-winning Spirited Away. She also appeared in films and television series including Donnie Darko, Big Love, ER, Charmed, The Practice, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Oliver Beene.
Born in Las Vegas and raised in Oregon, Chase began acting at a young age and quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognizable child stars. Her role as Rhonda Volmer in HBO's Big Love further expanded her career during the late 2000s.
According to her father, Chase struggled with substance abuse beginning in her early teens and had experienced periods of estrangement from family members. He also told The New York Times that she had been living in Los Angeles near the hospital where she died.
News of her death prompted an outpouring of tributes on social media, with fans remembering the actress for the beloved characters she brought to life and the lasting impact she left on animation, television and horror cinema.
Her performances as Lilo and Samara remain among the most memorable roles of the early 2000s, cementing her place in popular culture and leaving behind a legacy that touched generations of moviegoers.
Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times that Chase died in a Los Angeles hospital from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis.
Chase rose to fame in 2002 when she voiced the spirited Hawaiian girl in Disney's animated blockbuster Lilo & Stitch. She later reprised the role in Stitch! The Movie and Lilo & Stitch: The Series, helping make the franchise a favorite among audiences around the world.
That same year, she showcased her range with a dramatically different role as Samara Morgan in The Ring. Her chilling performance earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
In addition to those iconic roles, Chase provided the English voice of Chihiro Ogino in Studio Ghibli's Academy Award-winning Spirited Away. She also appeared in films and television series including Donnie Darko, Big Love, ER, Charmed, The Practice, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Oliver Beene.
Born in Las Vegas and raised in Oregon, Chase began acting at a young age and quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognizable child stars. Her role as Rhonda Volmer in HBO's Big Love further expanded her career during the late 2000s.
According to her father, Chase struggled with substance abuse beginning in her early teens and had experienced periods of estrangement from family members. He also told The New York Times that she had been living in Los Angeles near the hospital where she died.
News of her death prompted an outpouring of tributes on social media, with fans remembering the actress for the beloved characters she brought to life and the lasting impact she left on animation, television and horror cinema.
Her performances as Lilo and Samara remain among the most memorable roles of the early 2000s, cementing her place in popular culture and leaving behind a legacy that touched generations of moviegoers.
Jun 19, 2026
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