Melissa Gilbert sounds off on Daveigh Chase death, perils of child stardom

Edward Segarra, USA TODAYTue, June 30, 2026 at 7:31 PM UTC

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For Melissa Gilbert, the death of her former costar Daveigh Chase is a cautionary tale.

The Emmy-nominated actress, who worked with a young Chase on a TV pilot, paid tribute to the late "Lilo & Stitch" star in an emotional Instagram post Monday, June 29.

"This is the [Daveigh Chase] I knew. I shot a pilot for a series with her 20+ years ago," Gilbert wrote alongside a throwback photo of Chase. "I only worked with Daveigh a couple of days, but I could see she was bright both in countenance and in mind. She was bubbly, sweet and professional. But there was something else there, a push or need to perform …for her parents."

Gilbert's remarks come two weeks after reports emerged that Chase died on June 16 at the age of 35 following a hospitalization in Los Angeles for malnutrition. Chase's cause of death was later revealed to be AIDS.

The former child star's father, John Schwallier, told The New York Times his daughter struggled with drug addiction since she was 13 and that she had been homeless and "destitute" near the LA hospital where she died.

Daveigh Chase dies: 'The Ring' and 'Lilo and Stitch' star was 35

Chase's mother also spoke out in an interview with the Daily Mail, sharing that her daughter was prescribed oxycodone and other painkillers after a motorcycle accident in 2016, leading to substance abuse issues.

"I have been around a lot of child actors, myself included, which makes us all a part of a big multigenerational tribe," Gilbert, who starred on "Little House on the Prairie," wrote on Instagram. "As a consequence, I've also been around a lot of stage parents.

"Many child actors grow up just fine, whether they stay in 'the business' or not. That is 100% due to really solid, wise parenting. Child stardom, in itself, is not a guarantee of dysfunction. However, when a parent or parents lose sight of who THEY are, of what their true responsibility is, and their lives revolve solely around their little star child, well, that's where the trouble begins."

Chase had her big-screen breakthrough at age 10 costarring as Jake Gyllenhaal's younger sister, Samantha, in the 2001 psychological thriller "Donnie Darko." She continued to find success as a voice actress, playing the young heroine Chihiro in the English-language dub of Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away," as well as misfit Lilo in Disney's 2002 animated hit "Lilo & Stitch."

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That same year, she terrified horror fans as the long-haired, rubber-jointed Samara in "The Ring," who iconically crawls out of a television set in order to claim her victims. Her bone-chilling performance earned her the MTV Movie Award for best villain, beating out the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Mike Myers, Willem Dafoe and Colin Farrell in her category.

"It takes strong parenting to handle all that comes with [child stardom]," Gilbert continued. "The terrible part is that so few child actors continue on to have careers as actors. For most, it goes away, and when that happens it not only devastates the child, but it turns the whole family upside down.

"Today, reading the circumstances of Daveigh's death , I'm truly heartbroken. I certainly understand substance addiction disorder, but this sweet girl's death is so much more."

Daveigh Chase death investigation: Actress's cause of death revealed

Chase made her last film appearance in the 2016 thriller "American Romance" with John Savage. She mostly stayed out of the spotlight over the last decade, having amassed roughly 50 credits across movies and TV over nearly two decades.

"If I had the chance to speak to any parents who were thinking about getting their children in the industry, I would tell them to please, please make sure that they are doing it for the right reasons," Gilbert concluded.

"To be sure it’s something the child really wants. To be sure that that child has a life outside of the industry that is thriving and full of friends and responsibilities and 'normal' things," she added. "I would also ask that these parents memorize this sweet girl's face and her story so that it never happens again."

If you or someone you know needs help battling a substance abuse addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Contributing: Patrick Ryan and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melissa Gilbert shares emotional tribute for Daveigh Chase

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