'Lilo & Stitch' star Daveigh Chase's friends condemn GoFundMe set up by her alleged BF
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The death of former child star Daveigh Chase has led to renewed attention on her legacy, career, and financial matters. Chase’s death has become a series of new and conflicting reports.
Her alleged boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising questions about his connection to the actor. At the same time, Chase’s manager has claimed she may have left behind “millions of dollars” in unclaimed pay from past royalties.
Daveigh Chase's ex-manager questions GoFundMe launched by Roy Hernandez
Following Chase’s death on Tuesday, June 16, questions surfaced over a GoFundMe campaign launched by Hernandez to assist with her medical and living expenses.
The fundraiser was created while the 35-year-old was battling meningitis and serious blood infections that later led to sepsis. Hernandez said the actress had endured years of hardship and hoped the campaign would help provide comfort during her final days.
The actress' former manager and longtime friend said, "A man claiming to be Daveigh's boyfriend has launched a GoFundMe page purportedly on behalf of Daveigh and her family. Neither her family nor her close friends know who this person is."
He added, "I can confirm Daveigh has a SAG trust account with more than enough funds to cover all medical and related expenses," and her father contacted the hospital on Tuesday to claim Daveigh's body, as per TMZ.
In response, Hernandez has disputed the concerns, firmly stating that it is “100 per cent” untrue to suggest the GoFundMe is not legitimate. He also said he planned to use the funds to ensure the actress receives a proper memorial.
How did Daveigh Chase become a cult pop culture name?
Chase first broke through in the early 2000s, quickly becoming a familiar face in both animation and live-action films. She’s best known for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Disney’s 'Lilo & Stitch' (2002), a role that won her an Annie Award and led to more work in the franchise, including 'Stitch! The Movie' (2003), 'Lilo & Stitch: The Series', and 'Leroy & Stitch' (2006).
Chase also lent her voice to the English-language version of Studio Ghibli’s 'Spirited Away' (2001), where she voiced the film’s main character, Chihiro Ogino.
Around the same time, she also made a major mark in horror as Samara Morgan in 'The Ring' (2002), a performance that became iconic and continued to be referenced in later entries like 'The Ring Two' (2005) and 'Rings' (2017) through archival footage.
She also appeared in projects like 'Donnie Darko' and its sequel 'S Darko', playing Samantha Darko and adding to her cult-favorite status.
Even after she stepped back from acting around 2016, her work kept finding new audiences through streaming and eventually became a pop culture name.
