Actor Daveigh Chase, famous for voicing Lilo in Disney’s popular animated film Lilo & Stitch, passed away at the age of 35 in Los Angeles this week. Her father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to The New York Times that Chase died at a hospital due to complications arising from meningitis and a blood infection.
Chase, who had been living with her boyfriend near the hospital, had been hospitalized since early June for malnutrition. Apart from her notable role in Lilo & Stitch in 2002, she also lent her voice to characters in various spinoffs of the film and provided the English voice for the lead role in Hayao Miyzaki’s Oscar-winning animated movie Spirited Away.
Born in Las Vegas, Chase appeared in numerous film and TV projects, including playing Jake Gyllenhaal’s younger sister in Donnie Darko and portraying the antagonist Samara in the Hollywood remake of The Ring in 2002. She received the 2002 Annie Award for best young artist for her work in Lilo & Stitch and the 2003 MTV Movie Award for best villain for her performance in The Ring.
Chase was a recurring character on all five seasons of the HBO series Big Love and made guest appearances on shows like ER, Touched by an Angel, Family Law, and Without a Trace. Her last known screen appearance was in the 2016 film American Romance.
Before her passing, Chase’s boyfriend initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist her during her hospital stay. He shared that Chase had faced challenges since childhood and sought safety and happiness in downtown L.A. The campaign raised over $4,000 US within the first 24 hours following her demise.
