Actress Daveigh Chase, best known for terrifying audiences as Samara Morgan in The Ring and lending her voice to Disney's beloved character Lilo in Lilo & Stitch, has died at the age of 35. Her longtime manager and friend, John Ryan Jr, confirmed on Wednesday that the actress passed away in a Los Angeles hospital.
Ryan informed BBC News that Chase died from sepsis after suffering from meningitis. He also revealed that she had been admitted to the hospital due to malnourishment before her death.
The news has left fans mourning a performer who made a lasting impression in both horror and animation during her years as a child star.
Reflecting on her life, Ryan remembered Chase as a private person who preferred a quiet lifestyle away from the spotlight. "She was the greatest. She loved cats. She worked with cat rescues with us. She was very to herself," said Ryan, who managed her for 15 years. He added that Chase often spent long periods at her Las Vegas home and frequently turned down major studio projects in favor of independent films," the manager said.
"She was not very Hollywood," he said. "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."
Chase's journey
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Chase began performing at just four years old through theatre and voiceover work. By the age of seven, she had landed her first television role in Hollywood with a small appearance on the popular sitcom Sabrina The Teenage Witch, led by Melissa Joan Hart.
Her breakthrough arrived in 2001 when she played Samantha Darko in the cult classic Donnie Darko. Years later, she reprised the role in the sequel S. Darko.
However, it was her chilling performance in the 2002 horror hit The Ring that made her a household name. Chase portrayed Samara Morgan, the haunting ghost with long dark hair who crawls out of a television screen in the American remake of the acclaimed Japanese horror film.
Her portrayal earned praise and won her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain in 2003.
The same year, Chase showcased a completely different side of her talent when she voiced Lilo, the spirited Hawaiian girl in Disney's animated blockbuster Lilo & Stitch. The role earned her an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production, and she continued voicing the character in several spin-offs.
Throughout her career, Chase also appeared in popular television series including Charmed, ER and Touched by an Angel. She later gained recognition for her recurring role as Rhonda Volmer in HBO's drama series Big Love, appearing in 32 episodes.
Although she stepped away from acting full-time in 2015, Chase's performances remain memorable for an entire generation of viewers. From becoming one of horror cinema's most iconic villains to voicing one of Disney's most beloved characters, she built a career that left a lasting mark on popular culture.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chase also faced several legal troubles later in life, including cases involving drug possession and joyriding in a stolen vehicle.
