Daveigh Chase, the actress who rose to fame as the terrifying Samara in The Ring and voiced Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, died at the age of 35 after a battle with sepsis following meningitis.
Her long‑time manager John Ryan Jr confirmed that the star had been hospitalized in Los Angeles after a fight with malnutrition and was in critical condition before her death.
Chase began acting at four in Las Vegas, and landed her first Hollywood role at seven in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. She later gained acclaim in Donnie Darko, The Ring, and the HBO series Big Love. Everyone remembers how she chose indie projects over big studio films and how she loved cats and volunteering with rescues.
She earned a 2003 MTV Movie Award for best villain for her role as Samara, the spooky demon-like character who crawls on her hands and feet, and an Annie Award for her voice work in Lilo & Stitch.
Chase’s film career also included single‑episode roles on Charmed, ER, and Touched by an Angel, and a 32‑episode stint as Rhonda Volmer, a child bride, on the HBO drama Big Love.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, she had legal run‑ins later in life, including charges for drug possession and joy‑riding in a stolen car.
She loved acting but was not a Hollywood star in the usual sense. She once said, “I would rather eat at Bob’s Big Boy and go home with the cats.” The actress merged her love for the arts with her passion for animal welfare, often volunteering at cat rescues.
Chase maintained homes in Nevada and downtown Los Angeles, and had a quiet life away from the limelight. She left a unique legacy as a talented voice actress, a horror icon, and a beloved friend to many in the entertainment world.
The industry mourns her loss and remembers her contribution to memorable characters that continue to haunt and inspire fans worldwide.
