Daveigh Chase, the former child actress who gave voice to Lilo in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, has died.
She was just 35 years old.
TMZ first reported the news, citing Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez.
According to the outlet, Hernandez said Chase died Tuesday after meningitis and a blood infection led to septic complications and her body shutting down.
TMZ also reported that Chase had been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital earlier this month because of malnutrition.
The news stunned fans who grew up hearing her voice in one of Disney’s most beloved animated films.
Daveigh Chase has sadly passed away at the age of 35.
She was the voice of Lilo in ‘Lilo & Stitch’ & Chihiro in the English dub of ‘Spirited Away’. pic.twitter.com/m9Tcss6N5q
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 17, 2026
People reported that Hernandez had started a GoFundMe while Chase was hospitalized, writing that her condition had become critical.
People also noted that Chase had been dealing with meningitis and serious blood infections before her death.
For many viewers, Chase will always be remembered as Lilo Pelekai, the spirited little girl at the heart of Disney’s 2002 animated hit.
That same year, she also terrified audiences as Samara Morgan in The Ring.
Her performance as Samara earned her the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain, a rare horror honor for such a young actress.
Chase’s voice work also included Chihiro Ogino in the English dub of Spirited Away, another title that became a generational favorite.
Daveigh Chase has passed away at 35.
The actress was known for her performance in ‘The Ring,’ as well as voicing Lilo in ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and Chihiro in the English dub of ‘Spirited Away.’ pic.twitter.com/c6Q88CGW0S
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 17, 2026
Entertainment Weekly reported that Chase was born in Las Vegas in 1990 and raised in Albany, Oregon.
EW noted that she made her screen debut in a 1998 episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, then appeared in shows including ER, Charmed, and The Practice.
She also appeared in Donnie Darko and later had a recurring role as Rhonda Volmer on HBO’s Big Love.
It is a heartbreaking end for an actress whose early roles left a mark across Disney animation, horror, anime dubbing, and prestige television.
Chase’s death is another reminder that some of the voices and faces from childhood classics belong to real people with lives far more complicated than the roles that made them famous.
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