Lilo & Stitch star Daveigh Chase dead at 35 as tributes paid to Disney and TV actress

Lilo & Stitch star Daveigh Chase dead at 35 as tributes paid to Disney and TV actress Daveigh Chase, who was the original voice of Lilo in the Disney franchise Lilo & Stitch in the 2000s, has died at the age of 35 following a sudden health battle A star of Lilo & Stitch has died at the age of 35. The actress, who voiced the role of Lilo Pelekai in the 2002 Disney film and went on to play the character throughout much of the franchise, passed away on Tuesday following a sudden health battle. Roy Hernandez, whom Daveigh Chase was in a relationship with before her death, told TMZ that she died of meningitis, having been been admitted to hospital earlier this month because of malnutrition. He also told the outlet that Daveigh, also known for her roles in Big Love, and Donnie Darko, had an "infection in her blood" that caused her to suffer from "septic issues," and ultimately led to her body shutting down. Just before Daveigh's death, Roy had set up a GoFundMe page where he spoke of the former child star's difficult upbringing. He wrote: "But behind the scenes, she’s faced more than her share of hardship. After a difficult childhood and a painful falling out with her family, Daveigh was bullied and struggled to find safety and happiness in downtown LA. "When we met, I promised to protect her and give her the love and comfort she deserved. Together, we found moments of happiness and hope. "Recently, everything changed. Daveigh was diagnosed with meningitis and several serious blood infections. Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left. All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days."I understand we all go through things, but if you can help, I will be really grateful for anything. And if you can only give a prayer, I will take that too. Thank you for considering helping us during this difficult time." At the time of her death, the page had raised just $30 of a $5,000 target. Following the news, fans of the actress flooded social media with their tributes. One wrote: "Rest in peace, Daveigh Chase. Her performances left a real mark on film and animation history especially for a whole generation growing up with her work. Thoughts are with her loved ones." Another said: "Chase played so many of my childhood favorites this is so heartbreaking she was so young," and shared a GIF of Lilo's best friend Stitch crying. A third wrote: "I am so, so sorry to hear this. Lilo and Stitch has always been one of my favorites, but I also loved Daveigh Chase for playing Chihiro in the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. This is tragic." Before her big break with Disney, Daveigh had made small appearances on hit shows like Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, Charmed and ER. In 2001, she was cast as Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko, in which she starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Drew Barrymore. She also played the starring role of Samara Morgan, the main antagonist in 2002 horror The Ring. Following the success of the initial Lilo & Stitch's initial film, Daveigh voiced the character throughout the television series from 2003 until 2006, and also played the part for Stitch the Movie! as well as Leroy & Stitch, but was temporarily replaced by Dakota Fanning for Lilo & Stitch 2 in 2005. Fans may also remember Daveigh for her role on the sitcom Oliver Beene, in which she played Joyce over the course of its two-season run, Daveigh also appeared in programmes like Without A Trace and ER, but her final on-screen role came more a decade ago when she starred as Krissy Maddison in the 2016 film American Romance. The star had also been inactive on social media since 2017. Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage . You can sign up for Twitter/X alerts for breaking news here and follow us @MirrorCeleb for all the latest updates. Or keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures by following us on Facebook .