Tragic news has broken overnight with the announcement that 58-year-old Cliff Simon, who played the villain Ba’al on the Stargate SG-1 TV series, has died during a freak kiteboarding accident in Los Angeles.
His wife, Collette Simon, has shared a heartbreaking message on Facebook confirming his passing.
“To Friends, family and fans, It is with unimaginable heartbreak that I am sharing with you, that my beloved husband, Cliff Simon, passed away at 12:30pm on Tuesday March 9, 2021,” she began the message.
Sharing details on how the sinister situation unfolded, she continued: “he was at Topanga Beach, California and sadly passed away after a tragic kiteboarding accident. He was known to most of you on this page as the villain you loved to hate, Ba’al, from Stargate SG-1. But as he said, ‘acting is what I do, it’s only a part of who I am.’
“And he was SO much more – a true original, an adventurer, a sailor, swimmer, dancer, actor, author. There is a gaping hole where he once stood on this earth. He was loved by too many to mention and had a great impact on so many lives. He was an amazing and much loved brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend,” she concluded the heartbreaking message.
To Friends, family and fans,
It is with unimaginable heartbreak that I am sharing with you, that my beloved husband,…Posted by Cliff Simon on Thursday, March 11, 2021
While Simon was best known for his role in five seasons of the Stargate series, the South African actor also starred in the Stargate SG-1 movie, Continuum, and appeared in NCIS, Criminal Minds and Days of our Lives.
But acting wasn’t Simon’s only talent, the dedicated and naturally gifted 58-year-old was also previously an air-force veteran, author, model and professional athlete.
The announcement of Simon’s passing has been met with many heartbreaking tributes, including one from his Stargate SG-1 costar Suanne Braun. Taking to Twitter Braun shared that she is “utterly, utterly heartbroken” and said, “the world won’t be the same”.
I’m so devastated to know that I will never see your smiling face again my dear friend. @cliffmsimon you’ve left us way too soon and I’m utterly, utterly heartbroken. My prayers go out to Colette and your family. The world won’t be the same without you. #RIPCliffSimon pic.twitter.com/5CV1TvvDvM
— Suanne Braun (@SuanneBraun) March 11, 2021
Our deepest condolences go out to Cliff Simon’s family and friends during this difficult time.
