Former child actor Daveigh Chase, who voiced the title character in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and portrayed the terrifying Samara in the horror film The Ring, has passed away at the age of 35. Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times that she died from complications of bacterial meningitis and a blood infection.
Career Highlights
Chase began her career at a young age, landing the role of Lilo in the 2002 animated feature Lilo & Stitch after auditioning at age eight. She later voiced a lead in the acclaimed 2001 animated film Spirited Away and appeared in the 2001 movie Donnie Darko and the 2003 television series Oliver Beene. For her chilling performance as Samara in The Ring, she won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.
Personal Struggles
According to her father, Chase had struggled with drug addiction since she was 13 years old. She was estranged from her divorced parents. Schwallier stated that he was in contact with Chase's boyfriend and arrived at the Los Angeles hospital shortly before her death.
An online fundraiser organized by her boyfriend had raised approximately $4,000 as of Thursday. The fundraiser noted, "Many people know her as a talented childhood actor from Lilo & Stitch, Spirited Away, and Donnie Darko. But behind the scenes, she's faced more than her share of hardship."
Background
Chase was born in Las Vegas and raised in Albany, Oregon, where she began singing and dancing at age three. In recent years, a Hawaiian actress was cast as Lilo for the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, replacing Chase's iconic voice role.
