Daveigh Chase, known for playing Samara Morgan in The Ring, died at 35. Her boyfriend Roy Hernandez confirmed her passing, and reporting says she died from meningitis and a blood infection that led to septic issues.
Daveigh Chase’s name is instantly recognizable to anyone who ever felt their phone buzz—then froze—after watching The Ring. On Tuesday, the 35-year-old child star passed away, and the news landed with sudden finality.
Her boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, confirmed her death to TMZ, and reporting also provided a cause. It said Chase died from meningitis and an infection in her blood, which caused septic issues and led to her body shutting down.
Earlier in the month, Chase was reportedly hospitalized for malnutrition. No additional details have been revealed as of now.
Chase became widely known for her portrayal of Samara Morgan in The Ring. She also lent her voice to Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and Chihiro in the English-language version of Spirited Away. She appeared as Samantha Darko in Donnie Darko as well.
Her work earned her a Young Artist Award for Lilo & Stitch.
The timeline these facts sketch is brutal in its pacing: a hospitalization for malnutrition earlier in the month, followed by meningitis and a serious blood infection described in reporting on Tuesday—then a body shutting down.
For fans, her roles were formative, and for her loved ones, the loss is personal and immediate.
Daveigh Chase The Ring Samara Morgan Lilo & Stitch Spirited Away Donnie Darko Roy Hernandez meningitis sepsis malnutrition