A Beloved Star Of The Ring And Lilo And Stitch Dies At 35

- by Chris Tha

Actress Daveigh Chase, best known for voicing Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and for her chilling role as Samara Morgan in The Ring, has died at the age of 35. According to reports citing her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, Chase passed away after complications connected to meningitis and a serious blood infection that led to sepsis.

TMZ reported that Chase died on Tuesday after the illness became critical. Hernandez said the infection caused severe septic complications before her body ultimately shut down. She had reportedly been hospitalized in Los Angeles earlier in June.

Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, in July 1990, Chase found fame at a young age. In 2002, she voiced the beloved character Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, a role that introduced her to audiences around the world.

Source: D23

That same year, Chase took on a very different role when she played Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring. Her unsettling performance became one of the most memorable parts of the movie and earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.

Beyond Lilo & Stitch and The Ring, Chase built a varied career in film, television, and voice acting. She voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English-language version of Spirited Away and appeared in projects such as Donnie Darko and HBO’s Big Love.

Before her passing, Hernandez shared a message describing Chase as someone who had endured many hardships but still brought warmth, love, and light to those close to her. He wrote that she had longed for a safe and peaceful place where they could live together and feel at home.

After her death, Chase’s former manager, John Ryan, publicly raised concerns about a GoFundMe campaign connected to Hernandez, saying Chase’s family and estate were handling arrangements. Hernandez denied those claims, according to People.

Daveigh Chase will be remembered by many fans for the warmth she brought to Lilo, the fear she created as Samara, and the lasting mark she left on early-2000s film and television.

Rest in peace, Daveigh Chase. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and loved ones.