Former child star Daveigh Chase, who gave memorable performances in The Ring, Donnie Darko, and Big Love, as well as voicing Lilo in Disney’s animated Lilo & Stitch franchise, has died. She was 35 years old.
TMZ first reported the news of Chase’s passing; the reason given was complications from meningitis.
Chase had seemingly stepped away from Hollywood about a decade ago, according to the dates on her filmography, but her body of work remains impactful. One of her first roles was in the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko, in which she played Samantha Darko, the younger sister of the main character and noted Sparkle Motion dancer.
In 2002, she became a mainstream presence with her two most famous roles: Lilo, the lonely, alien-adopting, Elvis-loving Hawaiian girl in Lilo & Stitch, and Samara Morgan, the videotape-haunting ghost girl with the terrifying hair in The Ring.
In 2003, she won an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain for playing Samara—the same year she won an Annie Award for her voice acting performance in Lilo & Stitch. An impressive range under any circumstances.
Chase reprised all three roles, including Samantha Darko, across various sequels and spin-offs. She also had a long television resume, appearing mostly in guest roles, though she did have a regular part as a troubled teen on HBO’s Big Love.
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