Daveigh Chase, actress behind Lilo & Stitch and Samara in The Ring, dies at 35

Actress Daveigh Chase, who gave her voice to Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and embodied the chilling Samara in The Ring, has died at 35. She passed after complications from meningitis that evolved into sepsis during a stay in a Los Angeles hospital.

John Ryan Jr, Chase’s manager for fifteen years, confirmed the news to BBC News on Wednesday and added that she was admitted for malnourishment before her death.

Chase began acting onstage in Las Vegas at four and secured a first Hollywood part at seven, landing roles in television shows such as "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" and the HBO drama "Big Love". Her film debut came in 2001 with a supporting role in "Donnie Darko" and a starring performance in the 2009 film "S Darko".

She is best known for playing Samara Morgan, the long‑haired ghost that emerges from a television screen in the 2002 horror remake The Ring, for which she received an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain. That same year she voiced Lilo, a Hawaiian girl obsessed with Elvis, in Disney’s hit "Lilo & Stitch", a role that earned her an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in a Feature‑Length Animated Production.

In addition to her iconic roles, Chase appeared in single‑episode guest spots on "Charmed", "ER" and "Touched by an Angel", and had a 32‑episode run as Rhonda Volmer in "Big Love".

Later in life, Chase faced legal issues, including charges of drug possession and joyriding in a stolen vehicle, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Despite these setbacks, her manager noted that she “was not very Hollywood‑oriented” and preferred quieter, independent projects and a life close to family and her love of cats.