Photograph by John Corbett

	Posted on 6 March, 2002 Hello. I'm sure by now you've all heard the very sad news that Kevin Smith, the beautiful actor who played Ares in Hercules and Xena has passed away. It was such a shock, and it struck us all deeply. You guys have always been so generous, and many people have asked how they can help, so as soon as I have the information on the Kevin Smith fund, I will post it here. In the meantime, I leave you with these words which I have also sent to Whoosh for their Kevin memorial. Some things I've been thinking about Kevin... Kevin Smith will always be a god. As a man, he was a poster child for masculinity: staggeringly handsome, chivalrous, and funny as hell. Whenever a new girl showed up on set with the inevitable Kevin Smith crush, he was so gracious, so real and had such a warm sense of humor that she'd happily settle for being one of the boys. ...And yet, the single girls occasionally had to wonder why the mold was broken after Kevin was made. One morning we all stumbled into the make-up trailer. 6:00 am. Bleary eyed. Quickly administering caffeine. Kevin seemed surprisingly awake, which was especially remarkable given that his band had played a late gig the night before. "Oh, this is nothing, mate. I was up at 4 changing diapers." So much for being a rock star. Besides being a devoted father and a consummately professional actor, it must be said that Kevin was a tremendously talented drinker. He taught me so many kiwi slang terms for a drink - "a belter," "a roader," "a few quiet ones" (which are never quiet) - I had to start a notebook to keep track of them all. And after a post-wrap couple of quiet ones (at which point I had to bow out despite my Irish heritage) he made sure that all the ladies were safely tucked into taxis before continuing down Ponsonby Road for a nosey into a few other places. To borrow a phrase from Chaucer, he was "a very perfect gentle knight." That's the image I chose to remember Kevin by - the kind soul who makes sure everyone is not just ok, but laughing... and the spirit who then continues on down the road to greet a few new friends. His beauty, his humor, and his twinkling smile will live on for all of us. And heaven just got a new angel. With much love, especially to Kevin's family, The fund for Kevin Smith's family has been established. Donations can be made to: Kevin Smith Trust Fund c/o Auckland Theatre Company P.O. Box 6513 Wellesley Street Auckland New Zealand