Melissa Gilbert is speaking out following the death of former child star Daveigh Chase, sharing an emotional message about the hidden pressures faced by young actors and the responsibility that falls on their parents. The Little House on the Prairie star took to Instagram after learning that Chase’s official cause of death was AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use listed as a contributing factor. Chase, best known for voicing Lilo in Lilo & Stitch and playing Samara in The Ring, died on June 16 at the age of 35. Gilbert revealed that she worked with Chase more than two decades ago on a television pilot alongside Jack Coleman and Kevin Zegers. Although their time together was brief, she remembered the young actress as talented, cheerful and remarkably professional.
However, Gilbert said she also noticed something that stayed with her over the years.
“I could see she was bright both in countenance and in mind,” she wrote, adding that there seemed to be a strong need for Chase to constantly perform for her parents.
Drawing from her own experience as a child actor, Gilbert said success in Hollywood does not automatically lead to emotional struggles. Instead, she believes problems often arise when parents become overly invested in their child’s career and lose sight of their primary responsibility as caregivers.
She stressed that many child actors grow up healthy and well-adjusted because they have supportive families that ensure they enjoy a normal life outside the entertainment industry.
Gilbert also reflected on the uncertainty that comes with childhood fame, noting that only a small percentage of young performers continue acting into adulthood. When careers suddenly end, she said, it can leave both children and their families struggling to adapt if their entire identity has revolved around success in Hollywood.
Using Chase’s story as an example, Gilbert urged parents considering acting careers for their children to carefully manage their finances, ensure children understand where their earnings go and, most importantly, make sure acting is something they genuinely want to pursue. She also encouraged families to help young performers build meaningful friendships, hobbies and responsibilities beyond the entertainment world.
The actress ended her heartfelt message by encouraging parents to remember Chase’s story so similar tragedies can be prevented in the future.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Chase died from complications related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), with chronic polysubstance use listed as another significant condition. Before the official findings were released, her boyfriend Roy Hernandez had said she suffered complications from meningitis and sepsis. Chase’s father, John David Schwallier, also confirmed she had faced years of personal struggles.
Chase began acting as a child, appearing in television series including ER, Charmed and Sabrina the Teenage Witch before landing breakout roles in Donnie Darko, Disney’s Lilo & Stitch and the horror hit The Ring. Her death has prompted renewed conversations about the long-term challenges many former child stars face after growing up in the spotlight.