‘The Ring’ and ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Child Star Daveigh Chase Dies at 35

Daveigh Chase, the actress who played the ghostly Samara Morgan in “The Ring” and voiced Lilo in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” has died at 35. Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, confirmed the news, saying Chase died Tuesday after being diagnosed with meningitis and a serious blood infection that developed into sepsis, causing her organs to shut down.

Final Days

Hernandez said Chase had been hospitalized earlier in June for malnutrition before her condition turned critical. In the days before her death, doctors told him she didn’t have much time left, and he focused on keeping her final days as peaceful as possible.

A Career That Defined a Generation of Horror Fans

Chase was born in Las Vegas in 1990 and began acting as a child, appearing on shows like “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” and “ER” before landing her breakout role in 2001’s “Donnie Darko.” A year later, she played Samara in “The Ring,” a role that earned her the Best Villain award at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, beating out Willem Dafoe and Daniel Day-Lewis for the honor. The same year, she voiced Lilo in “Lilo & Stitch,” and she later voiced Chihiro in the English dub of “Spirited Away.”

Life After Fame

Hernandez said life after childhood fame was difficult for Chase. He said she dealt with bullying, a falling out with her family, and a long search for stability and safety, struggles that continued until her health declined in her final weeks.
Source: TMZ, Deadline, E! News