Daveigh Chase

Born on July 24, 1990, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Chase grew up primarily in Oregon before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting. She was American and of Caucasian ethnicity. Her early years included modeling and commercial work, and she soon transitioned into television guest roles in the late 1990s. Her breakthrough came in 2001 with the cult classic *Donnie Darko*, where she played Samantha Darko. The following year, she voiced Lilo Pelekai in Disney's *Lilo & Stitch*, a role that made her a beloved figure for a generation of children. She also took on the chilling role of Samara Morgan in *The Ring*, a performance that earned her an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain. She reprised that role in *The Ring Two* in 2005. Beyond these highlights, she voiced Chihiro in the English dub of *Spirited Away* and appeared in television series such as *ER*, *Touched by an Angel*, *The Practice*, *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, *Without a Trace*, *Cold Case*, and *Big Love*, where she played Rhonda Volmer. Her film credits include *Carolina*, *Beverly Hills Chihuahua*, *Jack Goes Home*, and *American Romance*.

Chase's adult years were marked by personal struggles. After a motorcycle accident in 2016, she developed an opioid dependency that escalated into broader substance use. She became estranged from family and experienced periods of homelessness in Los Angeles. In June 2026, she was hospitalized with bacterial meningitis and a bloodstream infection that progressed to sepsis. She died on June 16, 2026, at age 35. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later determined that the underlying cause was AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use as a contributing condition. The death was ruled natural. The cause of her HIV infection has not been officially established. Despite the tragedy of her later years, her early performances remain widely remembered and celebrated.