Daveigh Chase, Former Child Star Of 'lilo & Stitch,' 'spirited Away' And 'the Ring,' Dead At 35

Former kid prima Daveigh Chase, who established a varied profession pinch a haunting move arsenic Samara Morgan successful “The Ring” and arsenic nan bighearted outcast Lilo successful Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch,” has died.

The actor’s father, John David Schwallier, confirmed to nan New York Times that Chase died successful a infirmary of complications from bacterial meningitis and a humor infection. TMZ first collapsed nan news of Chase’s decease connected Wednesday, citing nan actor’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, who said nan character besides dealt pinch septic issues earlier her death. Additionally, Chase battled pinch supplier addiction and was bum earlier her death. She was 35.

Chase began her Hollywood profession successful nan precocious 1990s pinch insignificant roles successful celebrated TV bid including “Sabrina nan Teenage Witch,” “Charmed” and “ER,” and would spell connected to prima successful aggregate beloved movies astatine nan move of nan century. In 2001 cult classical “Donnie Darko,” she was Samantha, nan younger sister to Jake Gyllenhaal’s troubled Donnie Darko. She would reprise nan domiciled 8 years later for nan sequel, “S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale”

The aforesaid twelvemonth arsenic “Donnie Darko,” Chase lent her sound to nan American dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s tender “Spirited Away,” voicing its brave and stubborn protagonist Chihiro. The movie won nan animated characteristic prize astatine nan 2003 Academy Awards.

Chase gained a estimation for her range, further supported by roles successful “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring” successful nan aforesaid year. In nan former, she voiced nan Elvis-loving Lilo who finds nan solution for her outcast position successful a mischievous alien. That capacity earned Chase an Annie Award for sound acting successful an animated movie successful 2003 and secured her nan lead voice-acting domiciled successful Disney Channel’s follow-up series. Months aft “Lilo & Stitch” deed nan large screen, audiences would spot Chase move down nan charm and move up nan scares for her stint arsenic shade woman Samara Morgan successful “The Ring,” nan first successful a bid of films. The scary classical is simply a remake of a 1998 Japanese movie based disconnected Koji Suzuki’s 1991 novel.

Most memorably, Chase’s Samara is clad successful a nightgown and obscured by a caput of pitchy achromatic hair, an eerie look that would go iconic for scary fans and, eventually, fodder for laughs successful “Scary Movie 3.” Chase told nan The Times successful 2002 of playing nan iconic character: “ I conscionable benignant of took my ain sound and put this freaky twist connected it.”

“The shaper for this movie told maine she was a batch for illustration Linda Blair successful ‘The Exorcist,’” she said. “I saw portion of that, and what really freaked maine retired was erstwhile she was crawling up upside down and backwards down nan stairs — benignant of for illustration nan spider.”

In nan aughts, Chase besides appeared successful much than 20 episodes of nan Fox sitcom “Oliver Beene” and complete 30 episodes of HBO’s Emmy-nominated Mormon family play “Big Love” arsenic cunning teenager Rhonda Volmer. After nan deed series, Chase’s profession slowed and she appeared successful lower-profile projects. Her last in installments was a voice-acting domiciled successful nan 2016 video crippled “Let It Die.”