Daveigh Chase, the former child actress known for her roles in “The Ring” and Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” has died at age 35.
Chase died on Tuesday in Los Angeles from complications related to meningitis and a blood infection that led to sepsis, her boyfriend Roy Hernandez told TMZ. Hernandez said the illness caused her body to shut down. Earlier this month, Chase had been hospitalized in Los Angeles for malnutrition.
Born Daveigh Elizabeth Chase-Schwallier on July 24, 1990, in Las Vegas, she was raised in Albany, Oregon, according to her IMDb biography. She began performing at a young age, singing and dancing at community events before moving into commercial and television work as a child.
Chase rose to prominence in the early 2000s with a series of high-profile roles. She provided the voice of Lilo in Disney’s 2002 animated film “Lilo & Stitch,” and repeated the role in the subsequent television series and related projects. She also voiced Chihiro in the English-language version of the Academy Award-winning animated film “Spirited Away.”
That same year, Chase gained widespread recognition for her portrayal of Samara Morgan in the horror film “The Ring,” where she famously crawled out of a television. Her performance earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003. The role became one of the most recognizable performances in early-2000s horror cinema.
In addition to her film work, Chase appeared in a range of television and movie projects. Beginning in 2006, she had a recurring role as Rhonda Volmer in HBO’s drama series “Big Love,” appearing in 32 episodes over the show’s five-season run. Her other credits included “Donnie Darko,” “Beethoven’s 5th,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “ER,” and “Mercy.”
Chase also pursued music, performing as a singer from a young age. She recorded original songs and contributed to compilation albums, and was selected by director Steven Spielberg to perform “God Bless America” in the film “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.”
The fundraiser, which had raised more than $2,600 toward a $5,500 goal, described personal struggles Chase faced outside of her acting career, including a difficult upbringing and challenges finding stability.
“After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA. When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved,” Hernandez wrote.