The Los Angeles County medical examiner has determined that Daveigh Chase, the actress who voiced Lilo in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” and played Samara in “The Ring,” died of complications from AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a secondary factor. Chase, who also went by Daveigh Schwallier, died June 16 at age 35.
Chase rose to prominence as a child actor in the early 2000s, playing Samantha Darko in “Donnie Darko,” voicing Chihiro in the English-language version of Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” and starring as the vengeful ghost Samara in “The Ring,” a role that helped define the early-2000s horror revival. Her voice work as Lilo Pelekai became one of her most enduring credits, with the character continuing to reach new audiences through Disney+ and a 2025 live-action remake that became a box office success.
In the years following her departure from acting, Chase experienced a sharp decline marked by addiction, legal trouble and estrangement from her family. Her father, John David Schwallier, told The New York Times that the two had not spoken in more than 15 years and that her struggles with drugs began when she was a teenager. He said he arrived at the hospital shortly before her death after staying in contact with her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez.
Hernandez, who launched a fundraising campaign in the days before Chase died, described a relationship built around trying to stabilize her life amid homelessness and hardship in downtown Los Angeles. He initially told reporters that meningitis and a bloodstream infection had triggered sepsis, a detail confirmed by the coroner alongside the AIDS diagnosis. The fundraiser later drew pushback from Chase’s family and former manager, who disputed claims that it was needed to cover funeral costs, saying her estate could handle those expenses.
News of Chase’s death prompted tributes across the animation and film community, including from “Lilo & Stitch” co-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who shared artwork honoring her character’s bond with Stitch. Her final credited role came in 2016, voicing a character in the video game “Let It Die.”
This article discusses substance use and serious illness. If you or someone you know is struggling, support resources are available, and I’m glad to help point you toward them if that would be useful.
