Melissa Gilbert Reflects on Daveigh Chase's Death, Calling on Stage Parents to Prioritize Their Children's Wishes
Melissa Gilbert has spoken out following the death of former child actress Daveigh Chase, describing herself as deeply saddened by the news and using her own experience as a onetime child star to offer a broader message to parents navigating the entertainment industry on behalf of their kids.
Chase died on June 16 at the age of 35. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office determined that her death resulted from AIDS, with chronic polysubstance use, meaning the repeated use of multiple substances over an extended period, listed as an additional significant factor in the ruling.
Gilbert, best known for her role as Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House on the Prairie during her own childhood acting career, revealed that she had briefly worked alongside a young Chase more than two decades ago while filming a television pilot together, a collaboration that lasted only a few days. Sharing a childhood photo of Chase wearing braided pigtails, Gilbert described the impression the young actress had left on her at the time. She recalled Chase as sharp both in personality and intellect, someone who came across as cheerful, kind, and professional on set. At the same time, Gilbert noted an underlying pressure in Chase, a sense that she felt compelled to perform not entirely for herself, but to satisfy her parents.
Drawing on her decades in the industry, Gilbert explained that her career has put her in close proximity to countless child actors over the years, and by extension, to the parents guiding them. She acknowledged that many former child stars go on to live healthy, well-adjusted lives regardless of whether they remain in show business, crediting that outcome largely to strong, thoughtful parenting. In her view, being a child star does not inherently doom someone to struggle later in life. The real danger, she suggested, emerges when a parent's sense of identity becomes entirely wrapped up in their child's career, to the point where their own responsibilities and priorities get lost in the process.
Gilbert emphasized that navigating the pressures of child stardom successfully requires considerable strength and intentionality from parents. She pointed out a harsh reality of the industry: very few child actors go on to sustain long-term acting careers as adults. For most, the work eventually dries up, and when it does, the fallout can be devastating not just for the child, but for the entire family structure built around that career.
Reflecting specifically on the circumstances surrounding Chase's death, Gilbert said the details left her heartbroken in a way that went beyond her general understanding of substance-use disorders. She said Chase's story felt like it carried a deeper weight than addiction alone could explain. Speaking directly to parents currently considering putting their children into acting, Gilbert urged them to examine their true motivations and make certain they are pursuing the industry for the right reasons. She specifically recommended that families work with an accountant on a regular basis so that the child has full visibility into their own earnings and how that money is being managed.
Above all, Gilbert stressed the importance of confirming that acting is genuinely something the child wants for themselves, and ensuring that the child maintains a full life outside the industry, one rich with friendships, everyday responsibilities, and a sense of normalcy.
