Daveigh Chase, Star of 'Lilo & Stitch,' 'The Ring,' and 'Spirited Away,' Dies at 35
Daveigh Chase, the actress and voice performer best known for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s animated classic “Lilo & Stitch” and playing Samara Morgan in the horror film “The Ring,” has died at the age of 35, according to TMZ.
Daveigh Chase, known for ‘Lilo & Stitch,’ ‘The Ring,’ and ‘Spirited Away,’ has died at age 35.
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TMZ, which first reported the news, cited Chase’s boyfriend as saying that she died Tuesday from meningitis and a blood infection. Earlier this month, she had reportedly been hospitalized in Los Angeles for malnutrition.
Chase rose to prominence in 2002 when she voiced Lilo Pelekai, the young Hawaiian lead character in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch.” Her performance earned her an Annie Award for outstanding voice acting in an animated feature production. She later reprised the role in several franchise projects, including “Stitch! The Movie” (2003), “Leroy & Stitch” (2006), and Disney Channel’s “Lilo & Stitch: The Series.”
Beyond her work with Disney, Chase also voiced Chihiro Ogino in the English-language version of Hayao Miyazaki’s acclaimed animated film “Spirited Away.”
In live-action roles, she became widely recognized for her portrayal of Samara Morgan in the 2002 horror hit “The Ring.” The character, known for the cursed videotape central to the story, was also portrayed by Kelly Stables and contortionist Bonnie Morgan. Chase’s performance later appeared through archival footage in the sequels “The Ring Two” (2005) and “Rings” (2017).
Her film career also included playing Samantha Darko, the younger sister of Jake Gyllenhaal’s main character in “Donnie Darko.” She later returned to the role as the star of the 2009 direct-to-video sequel “S. Darko.”
On television, Chase appeared in HBO’s “Big Love” and voiced the lead character in PBS Kids’ “Betsy’s Kindergarten Adventures.” Her final acting credits came in 2016.
