Daveigh Chase Cause of Death - How Did the 'Lilo and Stitch' Voice Actor Die?

On Wednesday afternoon, TMZ broke the news that Daveigh Chase, best known for her roles as Samara in The Ring (2002) and the voice of Lilo in Lilo & Stitch (2002), has died. She was 35 years old.

Chase, a former child actress, came to prominence after being cast as Jake Gyllenhaal's sister, Samantha Darko, in the 2001 cult film Donnie Darko. Chase was cast in the voice roles for Lilo in the original Disney animated film Lilo & Stitch, in addition to Chihiro in the English language dub of the acclaimed Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away. Additionally, the actress portrayed antagonist Samara in the iconic horror film The Ring.

Later, Chase starred on television shows such as HBO's Big Love, Without a Trace, and the Lilo & Stitch TV series, but had largely retired from acting in the last decade,

Daveigh Chase Cause of Death: What We Know So Far

News of Chase's death came from her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, who shared the news with the celebrity tabloid.

According to Hernandez, Chase died on June 16, from "meningitis and an infection in her blood," which led to "septic issues" and "her body shutting down." The actress also had previously been hospitalized this month due to "malnutrition," as reported by her partner.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 11:01 AM.