Daveigh Chase, the American actor and voice artist who became a defining voice of early 2000s pop culture, has died at the age of 35.
Chase was widely recognized for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s 2002 animated classic Lilo & Stitch, a role that made her a beloved figure for an entire generation. She also appeared in the English-language dub of Spirited Away and gained international attention for her chilling performance.
According to reports confirmed by major outlets including the BBC, Chase died following serious health complications linked to meningitis and sepsis. She had reportedly been hospitalized earlier in the month before her condition worsened.
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
Her career began in childhood and included roles across film and television such as Donnie Darko and HBO’s Big Love, where she continued to build a reputation for emotionally complex and memorable performances.
Chase stepped away from mainstream Hollywood in later years but remained a recognizable name due to her early iconic roles.
Damn, 35 is way too young… Daveigh gave us Lilo, Samara, and so much more. Rest easy legend pic.twitter.com/WfOXHxa2uK
— Bint e Suliman (@Bint_e_Q) June 17, 2026
Following news of her passing, tributes have poured in across social media, with fans remembering her contributions to animation, horror, and cult cinema.
Her death marks the loss of a performer whose work left a lasting imprint on both family entertainment and darker genre storytelling.