Daveigh Chase, the actress who voiced Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and played the terrifying Samara in The Ring, has died at 35. Her boyfriend confirmed the news to Just Jared on June 17, 2026, making the loss official after days of concern from fans online.
The non-obvious detail that stops many fans short: Chase voiced Lilo and played Samara in the same calendar year — 2002 — making her one of the rare child performers to anchor both a beloved family classic and one of horror’s most iconic villains within months of each other. That dual legacy at age 11 defined a generation’s childhood in two completely opposite ways.
How Daveigh Chase Became a Household Name
Chase was born on July 24, 1990, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She began acting as a young child and broke through in 2002 with back-to-back landmark roles. As the voice of Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, she brought warmth, spunk, and real emotional depth to the misfit Hawaiian girl whose friendship with a rogue alien resonated with millions of kids. The film grossed over $270 million worldwide and remains one of Disney’s most beloved animated features.
That same year, she crawled out of a well and into nightmares everywhere as Samara Morgan in Gore Verbinski’s The Ring. The film’s iconic horror imagery — a pale girl emerging from a television set — became one of the defining visuals of early 2000s pop culture. Chase performed much of the role physically, with contorted movement and an eerie stillness that unnerved audiences worldwide.
She also played Cherie in HBO’s critically acclaimed drama Big Love and had a recurring role in Donnie Darko as Samantha Darko, adding to a résumé that was extraordinary for any performer, let alone a child.
The Ring Star’s Later Years and Struggles
Like many child stars, Chase’s adult career was complicated. She spoke publicly over the years about personal struggles, and her name periodically resurfaced in entertainment news for reasons unrelated to her craft. Still, she retained a devoted fanbase who remembered her foundational roles with genuine affection.
Her boyfriend confirmed her death but did not immediately disclose a specific cause. As of publication, no official statement has been issued by her family or representatives beyond what was shared with Just Jared. Further details are expected in the coming days.
The entertainment industry has seen a troubling pattern of child actors facing mental health and substance challenges in adulthood — a conversation that Chase’s passing is already reigniting online. The ongoing debate over performer protections in Hollywood adds a broader context to how the industry supports — or fails — its youngest talents long after the cameras stop rolling.
How Fans and the Industry Are Responding
Tributes flooded social media within hours of the news breaking. Fans of both Lilo & Stitch and The Ring shared clips, screenshots, and personal memories of how Chase’s performances shaped their childhoods. The hashtag paying tribute to her trended across multiple platforms through the night of June 17.
Disney’s live-action Lilo & Stitch remake released in 2026 had already brought renewed attention to the original animated film — and to Chase’s irreplaceable voice work. Many fans noted the bittersweet timing, rediscovering her contribution to the original just as the remake made headlines.
Horror communities were equally vocal. The Ring retains a massive cult following, and Chase’s physical performance as Samara is still widely cited as one of the most effective uses of a child actor in the horror genre. Directors and cinematographers have pointed to that crawl-from-the-TV sequence as a masterclass in practical, performance-driven fear.
For those interested in other stories about young performers navigating Hollywood’s complex landscape, Sean Penn’s upcoming cop film with Bradley Cooper is drawing fresh attention to how adult stars are shaping the industry’s next chapter.
A Legacy That Belongs to Two Generations
Daveigh Chase accomplished something almost no performer does: she defined childhood for two completely different audiences simultaneously. Kids who grew up with Lilo’s spirited rebellion and older viewers who lost sleep over Samara both carry her work with them. She was 35 years old.
As more details about her cause of death emerge, the focus from those who loved her work is squarely on what she gave the world — a little Hawaiian girl who believed in ohana, and a pale figure in white who reminded everyone to be afraid of their television. Both images endure. Both belong to her.
