Daveigh Chase, the child actor who voiced the character of Lilo in the 2002 Disney animated film “Lilo & Stitch,” died on Tuesday from complications of meningitis. She was 35.
Chase, who also was named Best Villain that same year by the MTV Movies Awards for her portrayal of the evil Samara Morgan in “The Ring,” had “serious blood infections,” her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, wrote on a GoFundMe page for the actress, Deadline reported.
Hernandez announced Chase’s death during an interview with TMZ, telling the news outlet that the actress had been experiencing septic issues that caused her body to shut down.
Born in Las Vegas on July 24, 1990, Chase was raised in Albany, Oregon, Deadline reported.
When she was 8, Chase appeared on shows like “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” “Charmed,” “The Practice” and “ER,” according to the entertainment news website.
As a child actress, she also appeared as Samantha Darko in “Donnie Darko” (2001) and voiced the character of Chihiro Ogino in “Spirited Away” (2001), People reported.
But she got her big break voicing the character of Lilo Pelekai in “Lilo & Stitch,” Variety reported.
She won an Annie Award for outstanding voice acting in an animated feature production, according to the entertainment news website. She later voiced several spinoffs, including “Stitch! The Movie” (2003), “Leroy & Stitch” (2006) and Disney Channel’s “Lilo & Stitch: The Series.”
After her years in Hollywood, Chase’s life became more difficult, People reported. Hernandez said that she had a falling out with her family and “struggled to find safety and happiness.”