American actress Daveigh Chase has died at the age of 35. As TMZ reports, the former child star passed away on Tuesday from meningitis and a blood infection that developed into sepsis. She had reportedly been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month due to malnutrition. With roles in The Ring, Lilo & Stitch, and Big Love, she left her mark across multiple genres. It was this remarkable range that made her career so memorable: from beloved Disney productions to a chilling horror character that became part of pop culture history.
Daveigh Chase Became World-Famous as Lilo and Samara
Daveigh Chase achieved success at a young age. In 2002, she voiced Lilo in Disney’s hit Lilo & Stitch and later continued the role in the animated television series. That same year, she became known to audiences worldwide as Samara Morgan in The Ring. Her haunting performance earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain. She also voiced Chihiro in the English version of Spirited Away, showcasing her versatility from an early stage in her career.
Daveigh Chase Also Appeared in Big Love and Donnie Darko
Alongside her most recognizable film roles, Daveigh Chase built a strong television résumé. Beginning in 2006, she portrayed Rhonda Volmer in HBO’s Big Love, appearing in 32 episodes. She also appeared in Donnie Darko, Beethoven’s 5th, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, ER, and Mercy. Her career started remarkably early: she began acting at four and landed her first Hollywood role at seven. In later years, she gradually stepped away from the spotlight and ended her full-time acting career in 2015.
Daveigh Chase Leaves Behind a Lasting Legacy
The fact that Daveigh Chase made such a powerful impact through such a diverse range of projects at a young age makes her legacy especially notable. For many fans, she will always be the voice of Lilo; for others, she remains the unforgettable face of early-2000s horror. Her work in Big Love further proved she was capable of much more than iconic breakout roles. In recent years, however, little was publicly known about her personal life.
