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Lilo & Stitch Star Daveigh Chase’s Cause Of Death Confirmed
Daveigh Chase, the actress who voiced Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch animation, has passed away at the age of 35, with authorities confirming her cause of death.
The 35-year-old played some iconic roles throughout her career, perhaps most notably when she played Samara Morgan, the ghost who crawls out of the TV in horror film The Ring.
However, Chase’s career began long before that, after launching into acting at the tender age of just four and booking her first Hollywood gig when she was seven.
She landed a small part in the iconic teen sitcom Sabrina The Teenage Witch, alongside Melissa Joan Hart.
From there, the child star went on to get booked for more roles, including playing Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko in 2001 and then again in S Darko in 2009.
One of her biggest roles came when she voiced Lilo, in Disney’s original animation hit Lilo & Stitch and subsequent spin offs.
Awards from a young age
She went on to bag an Annie Award for her role as Lilo.
Chase’s portrayal as Samara Morgan even earned her an MTV Movie Award for best villain in 2003, and it’s not hard to see why.
The creepy demon-like character famously crawls out of the TV in the American remake of the Japanese horror, before killing her victims.
Despite only being 10 years old when she played the terrifying role, Chase previously revealed it was one of the most fun to play.
In 2002, she told the LA Times: “It is not your typical character. Usually they are looking for a happy-go-lucky kid, but Samara was a pretty interesting character to play. I just kind of took my own voice and put this freaky twist on it.”
Chase also had a number of single episode appearances in TV shows, including Charmed, ER and Touched By An Angel, as well as a bigger role playing child bride Rhonda Volmer in Big Love.
Loved acting but not the fame
Chase’s manager John Ryan Jr has since spoken out about her love of acting, but not the fame that comes with it.
He revealed she had retired from acting full time by 2015, preferring to opt for a quieter life out of the spotlight.
“She was the greatest. She loved cats. She worked with cat rescues with us. She was very to herself,” he said, adding that she would often turn down big studio films in favor of independent projects.
He continued: “She was not very Hollywood. She’d rather eat at Bob’s Big Boy and go home with the cats. She loved acting but wasn’t into the fame scene.”
Despite having a home in Los Angeles, where most of her acting work was located, Chase would head back to her home in Las Vegas for years at a time in between projects.
Following her retirement from acting, Chase had a number of legal run ins, including being charged with joyriding in a stolen car and drug possession.
Cause of death confirmed
Chase’s manager John Ryan Jr has confirmed the actress’ cause of death as sepsis, after she contracted meningitis at a Los Angeles hospital.
As per the BBC, he explained the 35-year-old had been admitted to the hospital earlier this month due to malnutrition.
Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, offered the same explanation to TMZ, revealing that meningitis and a blood infection caused septic issues, which led to her body shutting down.
Following her retirement from acting, Chase had a number of legal run ins, including being charged with joyriding in a stolen car and drug possession.
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