Stargate SG-1 Villian Actor Cliff Simon Passed Away Aged 58

Actor Cliff Simon, better known as the Ba’al villain on Stargate SG-1, has died at the age of 58, his family has confirmed.

The South African actor’s credits also include appearances on NCIS, Castle, Days of Our Lives, and 24.

Unimaginable Heartache

In a statement, Simon’s wife Colette spoke of “unimaginable heartache” as she confirmed he was dead.

She explained that her husband died after being involved in a kiteboarding accident in Topanga Beach, California earlier this week.

“He was known to most of you on this page as the villain you loved to hate, Ba’al, from Stargate SG-1,” Colette Simon said in a post on Facebook.

“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.”

Early Life

Simon moved to the UK with his family as a teenager and trained as a swimmer, hoping to compete with Great Britain at the 1984 Olympic Games.

But at the age of 17, he decided to stop and returned to South Africa, where he joined the country’s military.

His wife said: “The little grace that saved this tragedy was that he was doing one of his favorite things and he passed through the sea near the water, which was his temple.”

Entry To Acting

Simon became an actor after a chance meeting at a resort hotel led to him performing as part of a troupe in various stage productions.

He continued to play at Moulin Rouge in 1989, prompting him to write a book about his experience entitled Paris Nights: My Year in Moulin Rouge.

He also worked as a model and later appeared in the local TV series Egoli – Place of Gold for six years.

But he got a big role in his career after moving to Los Angeles. His portrayal of the villain Ba’al on Stargate SG1 was popular with viewers and the actor enjoyed a five-year run.

Simon also starred in his role in the film Stargate: Continuum, released in 2008.

But as a long-time survivalist and military veteran, his sense of adventure never left him.

Last year, he presented the Travel Channel series Into The Unknown, which saw him explore the world of the paranormal by hiking and swimming in the wilderness to find answers to myths and legends.