Melissa Gilbert calls out ‘stage parents’ while mourning Daveigh Chase’s death at 35
SULLIVAN COUNTY, NEW YORK: Actress Melissa Gilbert paid tribute to former co-star Daveigh Chase following death at 35, sharing an emotional Instagram post remembering her after working together on an unaired television pilot more than two decades ago.
Along with honoring her former colleague, Gilbert reflected on the pressures faced by child actors, discussed the lasting impact of childhood fame, and called on parents to prioritize their children's well-being, financial security, and personal lives over careers in the entertainment industry.
Melissa Gilbert reflects on Daveigh Chase's childhood stardom
Gilbert shared a photo of Chase on Instagram, writing, "This is the Daveigh Chase I knew." She recalled working with the young actress on a television pilot more than 20 years ago alongside actors Jack Coleman and Kevin Zegers, who played her husband and son, respectively.
"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," she wrote. The actress, who was also a child star, said her experience placed her among a "big multigenerational tribe" of child actors and exposed her to "many stage parents."
She argued that successful transitions into adulthood depend largely on responsible parenting rather than fame itself. "Many child actors grow up just fine, whether they stay in 'the business' or not. That is 100 per cent due to really solid, wise parenting. Child stardom, in itself, is not a guarantee of dysfunction," she wrote.
Gilbert continued that problems arise when parents become consumed by their child's celebrity and lose sight of their responsibilities. According to her, strong parenting is essential because many child actors eventually leave the entertainment industry, and the loss of a career can be devastating for both the child and the family.
After learning the reported circumstances surrounding Chase's death, she said she was "truly heartbroken." While acknowledging that she understands "substance addiction disorder," she believed Chase's story reflected deeper issues.
She also outlined what she would tell parents considering putting their children into show business. She said parents should ensure they are doing it for the right reasons, regularly review the child's earnings with an accountant, confirm that acting is genuinely the child's choice, and make sure the child maintains a fulfilling life outside the entertainment industry with friends, responsibilities, and normal experiences.
She concluded by urging parents to remember "this sweet girl's face and her story so that it never happens again."
Daveigh Chases’s family estrangement and final years
On Monday, June 29, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner ruled that Chase's cause of death was acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use listed as a significant contributing condition.
Her father, from whom she had been estranged for years, told the California Post that the cause of death "doesn't surprise" him. He said, "It is what it is," adding that "it's something you sometimes have to expect with the lifestyle she was living."
He also admitted feeling regret over their years apart, saying, "I had an empty feeling inside for not being with her for all these years." According to him, she had struggled with substance abuse since she was 13.
He further stated they had not spoken since she was 19, around the time she had a falling-out with her mother. Meanwhile, Chase's boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, had previously created several GoFundMe campaigns as she battled serious health problems. In one appeal, he wrote, "Her condition has become critical, and the doctors have told me she may not have much time left."
He added, "All she ever wanted was a place where we could live together, feel safe, and be happy. Now, more than ever, I want to give her that sense of home and peace in her final days."
