Lilo & Stitch and The Ring star Daveigh Chase died of AIDS
The cause of death for Daveigh Chase, known for starring in horror The Ring and voicing Lilo in Disney's Lilo & Stitch, has been made public. The actor passed away earlier this month at the age of 35, with the cause of death now revealed to be AIDS, according to official findings.The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner also listed "chronic polysubstance use", as in use of multiple drugs, under "other significant conditions", and ruled her death to be "natural".Chase's boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, initially shared the news of her death, saying the star passed away on 16 June from meningitis and an infection in her blood, resulting in septic issues. Kevin Winter//Getty ImagesSpeaking with The New York Times, Chase's father, John David Schwallier, said that she was homeless and living in LA with her boyfriend before her death. Schwallier hadn't spoken to her in many years, he said.Prior to her passing, Hernandez had set up a GoFundMe for Chase, saying she'd been diagnosed with meningitis and "may not have much time left"."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," the GoFundMe description reads.Chase's breakout film role was as Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in 2001, a role she later reprised in direct-to-video sequel S Darko, released in 2009. She also voiced Chihiro in the English dub of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away. In 2002, Chase starred as Samara Morgan in The Ring, the English-language remake of 1998's Japanese horror Ring. The role earned her a Best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards in 2003.Michael Caulfield Archive//Getty ImagesHer other acting credits include HBO series Big Love and movies Yellow and Jack Goes Home. Chase retired from acting full time in 2015, according to her manager, John Ryan Jr. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. People living with HIV can live long, healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV when on effective treatment, with testing being crucial for saving lives.Organisations including amFAR, Terrence Higgins Trust and the National Aids Trust (NAT) can provide further information on research, testing and treatment for both HIV and AIDS.Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
