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Daveigh Chase was the voice of Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch and the terrifying Samara in The Ring. Explore her full biography, movies, TV roles, awards, personal life, and the sad news of her death at 35.
Who Was Daveigh Chase?
Daveigh Chase was an American actress, voice actress, and singer who became one of the most recognizable child stars of the early 2000s. Born Daveigh Elizabeth Chase on July 24, 1990, in Las Vegas, Nevada, she built a remarkable career that bridged two completely different worlds: the warmth of family animation and the chill of psychological horror.
To millions of viewers who grew up in the 2000s, she will always be two unforgettable characters at once. She is the spirited, lonely Hawaiian girl Lilo Pelekai in Disney's beloved Lilo & Stitch, and she is the silent, menacing Samara Morgan crawling out of a television screen in The Ring. Few actors of any age have ever inhabited such opposite ends of the emotional spectrum so convincingly, and even fewer did it before they were old enough to drive.
Chase passed away on June 16, 2026, at the age of 35, due to complications from meningitis and a related blood infection. Her death sent waves of grief across social media, where an entire generation of fans returned to the films and shows that shaped their childhoods to share memories and pay tribute.
This in-depth profile covers her life, her breakout roles, her awards, her later years, and the legacy she leaves behind.
Daveigh Chase: Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Daveigh Elizabeth Chase (nΓ©e Chase-Schwallier) |
| Born | July 24, 1990, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA |
| Died | June 16, 2026 (aged 35) |
| Cause of Death | Complications from meningitis and a blood infection (sepsis) |
| Hometown | Albany, Oregon |
| Occupation | Actress, voice actress, singer |
| Years Active | Late 1990s – 2016 |
| Best Known For | Lilo & Stitch (Lilo), The Ring (Samara Morgan), Spirited Away (Chihiro), Donnie Darko, Big Love |
| Major Awards | Annie Award (2003), MTV Movie Award for Best Villain (2003) |
Early Life and Childhood in Oregon
Daveigh Chase was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, but her childhood unfolded far from the bright lights of the Strip. After her parents, Cathy Chase and John Schwallier, divorced when she was young, her name was changed to Daveigh Elizabeth Chase, and she was raised in the small town of Albany, Oregon, a quiet community she remained connected to for much of her life.
Performing came naturally to her, and it came early. She began singing and dancing at community events and local shows around her hometown when she was just three years old. That early spark of talent and confidence set her apart, and it wasn't long before her ambitions reached beyond Oregon.
A trip to Los Angeles opened the first professional door. At age seven, she booked her first commercial, a spot for Campbell's Soup. Around the same time, she was offered a starring role in the stage musical Utah!, an early sign that casting directors recognized something special in her. By age eight, she was auditioning at the major networks, testing for television series and chasing the kind of breakout role that would change everything.
That breakout was closer than she could have imagined.
The Breakout: The Voice of Lilo in Lilo & Stitch
In 1998, at just eight years old, Daveigh Chase landed the role that would define her childhood: the voice of Lilo Pelekai in Disney's animated feature Lilo & Stitch. Released in 2002, the film told the story of a lonely young Hawaiian girl who adopts a strange, destructive blue alien she believes is a dog and names Stitch, then sets out to teach him how to behave using the music of Elvis Presley as her guide.
Chase's vocal performance gave Lilo a rare authenticity. Lilo was not a typical squeaky-clean Disney protagonist. She was quirky, stubborn, grieving, and deeply real, a child navigating loss alongside her older sister Nani. Chase captured all of that messy humanity, and audiences responded. Lilo & Stitch became a major success and grew into one of Disney's most enduring franchises of the 2000s.
Her connection to the character did not end with the original film. She returned to voice Lilo across the franchise, including the spin-off television series Lilo & Stitch: The Series, direct-to-video sequels, and video games. The 2006 film Leroy & Stitch, the finale to the TV series, marked the last time she voiced the character. For her work as Lilo, Chase won an Annie Award in 2003, a top honor in the world of animation, and earned a nomination from the Phoenix Film Critics Society.
The role's emotional resonance has only grown over time. When Disney released a live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch in 2025 with a new young actress in the role, longtime fans were reminded of the voice that originated the character, deepening the sense of loss when news of Chase's death broke.
The Other Side: Samara Morgan in The Ring
In the same year that audiences fell in love with Lilo, Daveigh Chase terrified them as Samara Morgan in the 2002 American horror remake The Ring. The contrast could not have been sharper. In one film she was a vulnerable, lovable child; in the other she was the embodiment of dread, the long-haired ghostly girl who crawls from a well and through a television screen to claim her victims.
Her performance became instantly iconic and helped turn The Ring into a box office phenomenon that revitalized American horror in the early 2000s. The image of Samara is so deeply burned into pop culture that it remains one of the most parodied and referenced horror visuals of the decade.
The role earned Chase real recognition. At the 2003 MTV Movie Awards, at just twelve years old, she won the award for Best Villain, beating out a field of acclaimed adult actors. Her contribution to the franchise was so foundational that when the sequel The Ring Two arrived in 2005, she was credited for the use of archival footage of Samara from the original film, even though new footage for that movie was performed by another actress.
That a child could be the warm heart of a Disney classic and the nightmare fuel of a hit horror film in the same year is a testament to her range, and it is the central paradox that defined her early career.
Daveigh Chase as Chihiro in Spirited Away
Daveigh Chase's voice work reached yet another audience through animation, this time from Japan. She provided the English-language voice of Chihiro Ogino, the ten-year-old heroine of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece Spirited Away, produced by the legendary Studio Ghibli.
The role placed her at the center of one of the most acclaimed animated films ever made. Spirited Away went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and remarkably, both films in which Chase voiced the lead heroine, Lilo & Stitch and Spirited Away, were nominated in that same category at the 2003 Academy Awards. For a young performer to anchor the English versions of two Oscar-nominated animated films at once was an extraordinary achievement, and it introduced her work to yet another devoted generation of animation fans.
Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko
Before Lilo & Stitch and The Ring made her a household name, Daveigh Chase appeared in what would become one of the most beloved cult films of its era. In Richard Kelly's 2001 film Donnie Darko, she played Samantha Darko, the younger sister of the troubled title character played by Jake Gyllenhaal, and a member of the children's dance troupe "Sparkle Motion."
The film's mind-bending blend of teen drama, science fiction, and psychological mystery turned it into a cult phenomenon with a passionate following. Chase later reprised the role of Samantha in the 2009 sequel S. Darko, which picked up the story seven years later, following an eighteen-year-old Samantha and her best friend Corey on a road trip to Los Angeles as they are afflicted by strange and disturbing visions.
Television Career: Big Love and Beyond
As Daveigh Chase moved into her teenage years, she made a strong transition into television drama, most notably with the HBO series Big Love.
Beginning in 2006, she took on the role of Rhonda Volmer, a complex and unsettling character: a manipulative, sociopathic teenager raised within a polygamist fundamentalist community and positioned as the child bride of a powerful prophet, Roman Grant. The series, which centered on a polygamist family led by patriarch Bill Henrickson, ran for five seasons, and Chase appeared in 32 episodes through 2011. The role demanded a darkness and maturity well beyond her years, and her performance earned critical praise and recognition from the Young Artist Awards.
Her television work stretched across many other notable shows. Earlier in her career she landed a regular role as Joyce, the quirky girlfriend of the title character, on the FOX series Oliver Beene (2003–2004). She also made guest appearances on a long list of popular series, including Touched by an Angel, Charmed, ER, Family Law, The Practice, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and the medical drama Mercy. In 2007, she lent her voice to the children's character Betsy in the PBS educational program Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures.
Full Filmography Highlights
Across her career, Daveigh Chase compiled a varied and prolific body of work. Some of her most notable film and television credits include:
- Donnie Darko (2001) – Samantha Darko
- A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) – contributed vocals, singing "God Bless America"
- Lilo & Stitch (2002) – voice of Lilo Pelekai
- Spirited Away (2002 English dub) – voice of Chihiro Ogino
- The Ring (2002) – Samara Morgan
- The Rats (2002)
- Carolina (2003)
- R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse (2003) – Annabel, a ghost
- Beethoven's 5th (2003)
- Oliver Beene (2003–2004, TV series) – Joyce
- The Ring Two (2005) – Samara Morgan (archival footage)
- Lilo & Stitch: The Series and Leroy & Stitch (2006) – voice of Lilo
- Big Love (2006–2011, HBO series) – Rhonda Volmer
- S. Darko (2009) – Samantha Darko
- Killer Crush (2015)
- Wild in Blue (2015) – alongside Karen Black
- American Romance (2016)
- Jack Goes Home (2016) – her final film role
A Singer, Too: The Lesser-Known Musical Side
Beyond acting, Daveigh Chase was a genuinely gifted singer, a talent that occasionally surfaced throughout her early career. As a child she performed as a lead singer with a small band and even appeared as an opening act for country superstar Reba McEntire.
Her voice can be heard on a holiday album of child stars released through Universal Records' Hip-O imprint, alongside other young performers of her generation. Director Steven Spielberg personally selected her to sing "God Bless America" in his 2001 film A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and she showcased her musical side again on screen during her run on Oliver Beene. She also recorded several original songs of her own over the years.
Awards and Recognition
Daveigh Chase's talent was honored across multiple corners of the entertainment industry:
- Annie Award (2003) for her voice work as Lilo in Lilo & Stitch
- MTV Movie Award for Best Villain (2003) for her chilling portrayal of Samara in The Ring
- Young Artist Award recognition for her performance in Big Love
- Phoenix Film Critics Society nominations for her standout 2002 roles
Winning a top animation award and a top villain award in the same year captures, more than anything, the astonishing breadth of what she could do as a performer.
Personal Life and Later Years
In her later years, Daveigh Chase stepped away from the spotlight. After her role in the 2016 film Jack Goes Home, she did not take on any further acting roles, and she had largely retreated from public life and social media for years.
She was never married. At the time of her death she was in a relationship with her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, who spoke publicly about the hardships she faced. He described a partner who had endured a difficult childhood and a painful estrangement from her family, and who had struggled to find stability and safety in her adult life. He also spoke of the genuine happiness, comfort, and love the two had found together despite those challenges.
Daveigh Chase's Death: What Happened?
Daveigh Chase died on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at the age of 35. Her death was confirmed by her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez.
According to Hernandez, Chase had been admitted to the hospital earlier that month. She was diagnosed with meningitis along with serious blood infections, and her condition rapidly became critical. The infection in her blood ultimately led to sepsis, causing her body to shut down. Before her passing, Hernandez had launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking support during her illness, describing her as a light in his life and expressing his wish to give her a sense of home and peace in her final days.
The suddenness of her death, and the contrast between the joy her work brought to so many and the difficulties she faced privately, made the news especially heartbreaking for those who admired her.
Tributes and Legacy
News of Daveigh Chase's death prompted an outpouring of grief and remembrance across Reddit, Instagram, and other platforms. Fans returned to her Instagram page, which had been quiet for years, to leave messages of love and gratitude. Many shared stories of growing up with her work, especially her performance as Lilo, which for countless viewers was woven into the fabric of their childhoods.
Her legacy is unusual and enduring. She is part of the emotional core of one of Disney's most cherished modern franchises, and at the same time she is responsible for one of horror cinema's most indelible images. She helped introduce English-speaking audiences to a Studio Ghibli classic, anchored a cult favorite in Donnie Darko, and delivered a fearless, mature performance in prestige television with Big Love.
Few performers leave a footprint that touches so many different audiences. Children who loved Lilo, horror fans who feared Samara, animation devotees who treasured Chihiro, and prestige-drama viewers who remembered Rhonda are all, in their own way, mourning the same person. As the Lilo & Stitch franchise itself reminds us, "ohana means family," and for an entire generation, Daveigh Chase felt like a part of theirs.
Rest in peace, Daveigh Chase (1990–2026).
Frequently Asked Questions About Daveigh Chase
Who did Daveigh Chase voice in Lilo & Stitch? Daveigh Chase voiced Lilo Pelekai, the young Hawaiian girl who adopts the alien Stitch. She originated the role in the 2002 film and continued voicing the character across the franchise, including the TV series, sequels, and video games.
What did Daveigh Chase play in The Ring? She played Samara Morgan, the ghostly child antagonist of the 2002 horror film. The role won her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
Did Daveigh Chase voice Chihiro in Spirited Away? Yes. She provided the English-language voice of Chihiro Ogino in the American dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
How old was Daveigh Chase when she died? She was 35 years old. She was born on July 24, 1990, and died on June 16, 2026.
What was Daveigh Chase's cause of death? She died from complications related to meningitis and a serious blood infection that led to sepsis.
Was Daveigh Chase married? No. She was never married. At the time of her death she was in a relationship with her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez.
What was Daveigh Chase's last movie? Her final film role was in the 2016 thriller Jack Goes Home. She did not take on any acting roles after that.
What other shows was Daveigh Chase in? Beyond her best-known roles, she appeared in Big Love, Donnie Darko, Oliver Beene, Char
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