Actor Cliff Simon, known for playing the villain Ba-al on the TV show ‘Stargate SG 1’, died on March 9, his wife wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.
The 58-year-old star from South Africa was reportedly killed in a kiteboarding accident.
“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,” his wife Collette wrote on his Facebook page. “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.”
Before becoming an actor, Simon was an athlete and swimmer and later joined the Air Force. He also wrote the book ‘Paris Nights: My Year at the Moulin Rouge.’ He made his screen debut in the South African show 'Egoli: Place of Gold', and went on to have roles in other series including 'NCIS', '24' and 'Castle'.
