Melissa Gilbert criticized the careless parents of child actors in an emotional tribute to Lilo & Stitch and Ring actor Davey Chase, who died of AIDS on June 16 at the age of 35.
In an Instagram post, Gilbert revealed that he and Chase co-starred in a pilot more than 20 years ago and that they had some disturbing parenting circumstances.
“I only worked with Davey for a few days, but I could tell that she had a bright face and a cheerful heart. She was cheerful, kind, and professional. But there was something else there, like a need to act for her parents,” Gilbert wrote in the caption, which was accompanied by a photo of a young Chase smiling.
Gilbert was also a child actress and had a famous starring role in Little House on the Prairie, which she wrote, which brought her into frequent contact with her stage parents.
“Having a child become a star does not in itself guarantee dysfunction, but when parents lose sight of who they are and what their true responsibilities are and their lives revolve solely around their little star child, that’s where the problems begin,” Gilbert continued. “It takes strong parenting to deal with everything that comes with it. The scary thing is that very few child actors go on to pursue acting careers. Most of the time it fades away, but when it does, it not only devastates the child, it turns the whole family upside down.”
“Today, I am truly heartbroken to read about the circumstances of Davey’s death. I certainly understand drug addiction disorders, but the death of this sweet girl is so much more than that. If I had the opportunity to speak to any parents considering putting their child into this industry, Please make sure they’re doing it for the right reasons. Take your child to an accountant regularly so they understand exactly what they’re making and where it’s going. There is no doubt that this is what the child really wants. To help that child live a life outside of the industry, full of friends, responsibilities, and “normal” things, please remember this sweet girl’s face and her story so that it never happens again. ”
The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that Chase died of AIDS, with “chronic polysubstance use” as a secondary cause.
Chase’s boyfriend, Roy Hernandez, initially told TMZ that she had meningitis and sepsis. The former actress also had a long battle with homelessness and substance abuse.
Chase got his break as the voice of Lilo in “Lilo & Stitch” and then went on to voice “Stitch!” He was also a voice actor in “The Movie”, “Leroy & Stitch”, and “Lilo & Stitch: The Series”. She played the role of Samara Morgan in the horror film The Ring, and also appeared as Samantha Darko, the sister of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character, in Donnie Darko and S. Darko.
