Daveigh Chase, star of ‘The Ring’ and the voice of Lilo in Disney’s ‘Lilo & Stitch, ’ dies at 35

Daveigh Chase, star of “The Ring” and the original voice of Lilo in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch, ” has died at 35, according to reporting from NBC News. The network confirmed her death in coverage published on June 18, 2026, noting the loss of a former child actor whose work defined a generation of horror and animation fans.

News of Chase’s death has quickly become a touchpoint for audiences who grew up with her on their screens, from late-night scares to endlessly rewatched family films. As details emerge, attention is shifting to the legacy of those breakout roles and the way a young performer helped shape two very different corners of early-2000s pop culture.

What NBC News has reported about Daveigh Chase’s death so far

NBC News reported on June 18, 2026, that Daveigh Chase has died at the age of 35. The outlet identified her as a former child actor best known for her performances in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring.” At this stage, NBC News is the primary named source confirming her death, and the picture is still developing, with no additional public details in this briefing about the circumstances or location.

Because information is still limited, the key confirmed facts are her age, her death, and her central roles in those two landmark projects. For fans and industry watchers, the focus right now is on verification from credible outlets and on how other collaborators and studios may respond as the news spreads.

“Right now, the only solid ground is what NBC News has confirmed: Daveigh Chase has died at 35, and her work in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring” is the reason the world knew her name.”

Why Daveigh Chase’s performances in “The Ring” and “Lilo & Stitch” mattered

Daveigh Chase carried two of the most recognizable genre roles of the early 2000s: the eerie presence at the heart of “The Ring” and the mischievous, big-hearted girl in Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch.” NBC News highlights these as the performances that defined her career, and that pairing explains why her death reverberates across very different fan communities. Horror audiences remember her for a character that helped make “The Ring” a cultural touchstone, while Disney fans tied her voice to the emotional core of a major animated franchise.

Those roles hit audiences at formative ages. Many viewers first encountered horror through “The Ring, ” with Chase embodying the image that made the film unforgettable. At the same time, children and families were replaying “Lilo & Stitch, ” where her performance helped anchor a story about family and belonging. That split legacy, part-nightmare, part-comfort watch, is a big reason her death at 35 lands with such force for people who grew up with both films in heavy rotation.

“For one generation, Daveigh Chase was the face of their first real scare and the voice of a character they grew up loving.”

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From child star to enduring cult figure for horror and animation fans

NBC News identifies Daveigh Chase as a former child actor, a label that carries a specific weight in Hollywood. Starting young in roles as visible as “The Ring” and “Lilo & Stitch” meant that her work was folded into the childhood and teenage years of millions of viewers. Even as new horror films and animated franchises arrived, fans continued to discover or revisit those early performances, turning her into a lasting cult figure in both spaces.

That status explains the intensity of the reaction now. Long after initial theatrical runs, “The Ring” often serves as a shorthand for early-2000s horror, while “Lilo & Stitch” remains a recurring reference point in conversations about Disney’s modern era. Chase’s contribution sits at the center of each title. As news of her death circulates, many fans are marking the moment by queuing up the films again, using the work itself as a way to process the loss.

“Her filmography may be short on paper, but those two roles keep Daveigh Chase firmly lodged in the cultural memory of horror buffs and Disney loyalists alike.”

What Daveigh Chase’s death means for fans of “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring”

When someone dies at 35, especially someone whose work was intertwined with childhood favorites, the response is often both personal and collective. Fans of “Lilo & Stitch” are processing the news as a loss tied to a character who helped define an era of Disney animation. Those who came to know Chase through “The Ring” are revisiting the way she shaped one of the most talked-about horror films of its time.

The emotional stakes lie in how deeply those characters are woven into everyday life. Lines from Disney films find their way into family jokes, while iconic horror imagery resurfaces every Halloween. Chase’s death pushes many to reconsider how quickly the people behind those enduring images can be lost, even while the films themselves feel ageless. That tension between the permanence of the work and the fragility of the performer is what many are grappling with in the first hours after NBC News’ report.

“Her characters feel immortal on screen, which makes the reality of Daveigh Chase dying at 35 that much harder to absorb.”

What to watch next as coverage of Daveigh Chase’s death unfolds

With NBC News setting the initial report, the next phase will likely involve further confirmation and context from additional outlets and, potentially, from people or companies who worked with Daveigh Chase. For now, there is no public information here about cause of death or official statements, so the story remains in an early and sensitive stage. Fans should be cautious about unverified claims and focus on reporting from established newsrooms.

Spinn Radio is following the story as it develops, with live reactions and context on our news and talk programming. For ongoing updates, listeners can Follow live news and talk on Spinn Radio, where hosts are unpacking Chase’s legacy in “Lilo & Stitch” and “The Ring” and highlighting how fans are responding worldwide. As more reliable details emerge, those broadcasts will be one of the clearest ways to track what we know and what remains unconfirmed.

“Treat the early hours of a story like this gently: stick to verified reporting, revisit the work, and wait for facts to catch up with emotion.”

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